Side hustles · updated
Holiday side hustles 2026: 15 ways to earn extra this season
The holidays bring a short burst of extra work: gifts to wrap, homes to light up, parties to clean up after. Here are 15 holiday side hustles with real pay or price figures from sources like the BLS, Indeed, Angi and Thumbtack, what you need to start, the one rule to check first, two name ideas for each, and the 2026 tax basics. Figures are averages from the linked sources, not promises.
2026 at a glance
- Seasonal jobs are tighter. Challenger, Gray & Christmas predicts about 450,000 retail seasonal jobs in the fourth quarter of 2026, after 461,500 in 2025, the lowest since 2008 (Sep 23, 2026). Hiring announcements were down 23% from a year earlier as of October 1 (Marketplace).
- Some big employers are hiring. UPS plans to hire 100,000 seasonal workers (Reuters, Oct 7, 2026).
- Shoppers are still spending. Deloitte forecasts holiday retail sales up 4.0–4.8% from November 2026 to January 2027 (Deloitte, Sep 10, 2026).
- Keep expectations real. 27% of U.S. adults had a side hustle in 2025, and the median was $200 a month (Bankrate). Service work that people book you for directly, like lights, cleaning or sitting, usually pays more per hour than a job, but it’s up to you to find the customers.
The 15 holiday side hustles
| Side hustle | What it pays (source) | What you need | Check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Christmas light installation | Angi: national average $444 a home; most pay $220–$684 (Oct 2026) | Ladder, clips, lights, insurance | Ladder safety and your insurance height limit. Full guide: start a Christmas light business |
| 2. Seasonal retail, warehouse or delivery job | Indeed: seasonal associates average $16.43 an hour (Oct 2026); BLS retail median $17.03 (May 2025) | An application | It’s a regular job (W-2), so taxes are withheld. UPS plans 100,000 seasonal hires this year |
| 3. Gift wrapping service | ZipRecruiter: $17.73 an hour average (Oct 2026); TaskRabbit: $20 an hour average (TaskRabbit) | Paper, ribbon, tape, a clean table | Ask a local shop if you can wrap on site on weekends |
| 4. Holiday baking and cookie boxes | BLS: bakers’ median pay $17.86 an hour (May 2025) | Your kitchen, boxes, labels | Cottage food laws differ by state: some cap sales or ban online sales and shipping (National Agricultural Law Center) |
| 5. Wreaths and garland | BLS: floral designers’ median pay $17.96 an hour (May 2025) | Greenery, wire frames, ribbon | Ask the market or fair about vendor rules and fees |
| 6. Personalized ornaments on Etsy | Etsy fees: $0.20 a listing, 6.5% of each sale, plus 3% + $0.25 payment processing (Etsy, Oct 2026) | Blanks, paint or a cutter, good photos | No other brands’ logos or characters (Etsy IP policy) |
| 7. Holiday mini photo sessions | ShootProof has seen holiday minis priced at $250–$800+, some as low as $50, for 5–15 minutes (ShootProof) | Camera, a pretty spot, editing time | Get permission for the location you shoot at |
| 8. Santa or Mrs. Claus for hire | ZipRecruiter: $60.10 an hour average (Jul 2026) | A quality suit, a warm manner | Families and venues usually want references |
| 9. Holiday pet sitting | Thumbtack: $27–$30 an hour; overnight $160–$268 (Thumbtack) | Time, references, a simple agreement | Write down feeding, meds and the vet’s number |
| 10. House sitting | Care.com: $20.54 an hour average posted rate; sitters quoted at $50–$100 a day (Aug 2026) | References | Agree in writing on what you’ll do each day |
| 11. Before- and after-party cleaning | HomeAdvisor: $176 a visit on average ($118–$238); deep cleans $200–$400 (Jun 2026) | Supplies, a car | Ask what’s off-limits before you start |
| 12. Event staff and bartending | Indeed: event staff average $18.15 an hour (Sep 2026); BLS bartenders’ median $16.51 including tips (May 2025) | Black clothes, a good attitude | 16 states require alcohol server training (TIPS) |
| 13. Indoor holiday decorating | Thumbtack: $200–$400 to hang lights and decorations (Thumbtack) | A step ladder, hooks, an eye for it | The CPSC counted about 14,900 ER visits from holiday decorating in one season, nearly half from falls (CPSC) |
| 14. Winter-break tutoring and childcare | Care.com: tutors about $24 an hour (Care.com); babysitters $21.07 an hour for one child (2025 survey) | References, maybe CPR training | Childcare licensing rules vary by state (Childcare.gov) |
| 15. Post-holiday decluttering and reselling | HomeAdvisor: organizers charge $55–$100 an hour (Jun 2026); eBay’s fee is 13.6% plus $0.30–$0.40 an order (eBay) | Bins, labels, a phone for photos | NRF expected 17% of 2025 holiday sales to be returned (NRF), so January is busy |
Give it a name people remember
Most holiday work comes from neighbors and word of mouth. A clear name on a Nextdoor post, a Facebook group, a business card or a Google profile makes you easier to recommend than “my cousin who wraps gifts.” Two ideas for each hustle. Spark checked every .com on October 10, 2026, and a free .com can be taken at any time:
- Christmas light installation: Light Lane Installs .com free · Jolly Roofline .com free
- Seasonal retail, warehouse or delivery job: Shift Ready Seasonal .com free · Holiday Helper Hub .com free
- Gift wrapping service: Bow and Box Wrapping .com free · Tied With Care .com free
- Holiday baking and cookie boxes: Sugarplum Batch .com free · Cookie Tin Co. .com free
- Wreaths and garland: Evergreen Door Co. .com free · Wreath and Ware .com free
- Personalized ornaments on Etsy: Little Keepsake Ornaments .com free · Snowglobe Studio .com taken
- Holiday mini photo sessions: Mini Merry Portraits .com free · Fireside Frames .com free
- Santa or Mrs. Claus for hire: Northpole Visits .com free · Velvet Suit Santa .com free
- Holiday pet sitting: Holiday Paws Sitting .com free · Snowday Pet Care .com free
- House sitting: Porchlight House Sitting .com free · Homekeep Holiday .com free
- Before- and after-party cleaning: Party Ready Clean .com free · After the Party Cleaning .com free
- Event staff and bartending: Mistletoe Event Staff .com free · Toast and Tray .com free
- Indoor holiday decorating: Garland and Glow Decor .com free · Merry Mantel Co. .com taken
- Winter-break tutoring and childcare: Winterbreak Tutors .com free · Snow Day Sitters .com free
- Post-holiday decluttering and reselling: Fresh Start Declutter .com free · January Reset Co. .com free
Quick naming rules. Say what you do and who it’s for. Leave “Christmas” out if you want to keep going in January. Check the .com and the Instagram handle before you print anything. Spark’s free name generator and free name check do the first checks for you.
The 2026 tax basics
- All income counts. The IRS says all income is taxable, no matter the amount, unless the law says otherwise (IRS).
- Payment apps. PayPal, Venmo and similar apps send a Form 1099-K only when payments top $20,000 and 200 transactions (IRS), but you report the income either way.
- $400 rule. If your net self-employment earnings are $400 or more, you must file, and you may owe quarterly estimated tax (IRS gig work page).
- Clients who pay you $2,000 or more for services in a year may send you a Form 1099-NEC (IRS).
- Keep a simple record of every payment and expense from the first day. A tax professional can tell you what applies to you.
Free Spark tools for a holiday side hustle
“Now open” post maker · business card maker · QR price list maker (great for cookie boxes and wreaths) · Google review QR code · name check
Questions people ask
What is the best holiday side hustle?
It depends on what you already have. If you own a ladder and work outdoors, light installation pays well per job. If you bake, check your state's cottage food law first. If you want steady hours, a seasonal job at a retailer or shipper pays a regular wage with taxes taken out.
How much can I really make?
Usually modest amounts. Bankrate found that 27% of U.S. adults had a side hustle in 2025, with a median of $200 a month. The pay figures on this page are averages from the sources linked, not promises.
Do I have to pay taxes on holiday side income?
Yes. The IRS says all income is taxable, whether or not you get a form. Payment apps send a Form 1099-K only above $20,000 and more than 200 transactions, but you still report everything. If your net self-employment earnings are $400 or more, you must file.
Is seasonal hiring strong in 2026?
Not especially. Challenger, Gray & Christmas predicts about 450,000 retail seasonal jobs in the fourth quarter of 2026, after 461,500 in 2025, the lowest since 2008. UPS has said it will hire 100,000 seasonal workers.
Do I need a business name for a side hustle?
Not legally for most one-person side hustles under your own name, but a clear name makes you easier to find and recommend on Nextdoor, Facebook and Google. If you use a name other than your own, many states require you to register it as a DBA.
Not tax or legal advice. This page summarises the sources linked above as of October 10, 2026. Pay figures are averages; your area and experience change them.
Keep going
start a Christmas light installation business · start your side hustle with a real brand · side hustle statistics · do I need to trademark my side hustle? · cleaning business names · bakery names
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