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Holiday Side Hustles for Moms: 7 Ideas That Fit Between Thanksgiving and Christmas (and What the Numbers Really Say)

Side hustles for moms that fit the holidays: 7 ideas from Thanksgiving to Christmas, sorted by time and set-up, with honest survey data on earnings.

Gizella Nagyne Palinkas

10/17/20264 min read

The holiday side hustles that fit best around family are the ones that follow the season's demand: house and pet sitting while families travel for Thanksgiving, gift wrapping and holiday photo help in December, and simple digital products you already know how to make.

Below are 7 ideas sorted by time and set-up — and, before you start, the honest numbers: in a 2025 Bankrate survey, the median side hustler earned $200 a month.

That number isn't meant to put you off. It's meant to help you choose a side hustle for the right reason — a bit of extra money for the holidays — and size your expectations.

What the numbers say about side hustles in 2025

Bankrate's 2025 survey (YouGov, 2,616 US adults, June 2025) found:

- 27% of US adults had a side hustle in 2025 — down from 36% in 2024 and 39% in 2023.
- Parents of children under 18 were the most likely to have one: 34%, against 28% of non-parents and 23% of parents of adult children.
- The median side hustler earned $200 a month; the average was $885 (pulled up by a smaller group of high earners). 25% earned more than $500 a month.
- The most common use of the money was discretionary spending (41%), followed by regular living expenses (35%) and saving (28%).

And one holiday-specific number: the National Retail Federation expected US retailers to hire 265,000 to 365,000 seasonal workers for the 2025 holidays — down from 442,000 in 2024. Fewer traditional seasonal retail jobs is one more reason flexible, self-run options are worth a look.

*These are US figures and describe other people's results. They are not a prediction of what you will earn.*

7 holiday side hustles, sorted by set-up

Low set-up (start this week)

1. House and pet sitting over Thanksgiving and Christmas. AAA projected 81.8 million Americans would travel over Thanksgiving 2025. Travelling families need someone to feed the cat, water plants and bring in the post. Start with neighbours and your school parents' group. Time: flexible, often short daily visits.

2. Gift wrapping. Offer wrapping for busy parents or local shops in December. Supplies are cheap and the work fits evenings. Time: evenings and weekends, mostly in December.

3. Holiday baking for friends and neighbours. Popular, but check your local rules first — selling home-made food is regulated differently from place to place, and some areas need a registration or permit. Time: batch on weekends.

Medium set-up (a week or two to get going)

4. Holiday photo help. Many families want a decent family photo or a card made from their own pictures. If you're good with a phone camera or with Canva, offer short mini-sessions in a local park or a card-design service. Time: a few weekend hours.

5. Party and event helper. Hosts need help setting up, serving and clearing up at holiday gatherings. Time: specific evenings, booked ahead.

Builds over time (digital)

6. A simple digital product. If you already have a skill — budgeting, meal planning, kids' activities — a printable checklist or planner can be made in Canva and sold online. Be realistic: for the 2026 holidays, the timing is tight, so think of this as starting something for next year as well as this one.

7. Virtual assistant hours for small businesses. Small shops get busy from Black Friday onwards and often need help with emails, orders and social posts. Time: flexible, from home.

How to choose (in 3 questions)

1. When are you actually free? Evenings only → wrapping, VA work, digital products. School hours → house/pet sitting, event set-up. Weekends → photos, baking.
2. What do you already do well? Start with a skill you have, not one you'd need to learn in November.
3. What's it for? If the goal is holiday spending money, choose something you can stop in January. If it's a long-term income stream, choose something you can keep building — usually the digital options.

A few practical rules

- Agree the price before you start, in writing (even a text message).
- Keep a simple record of what you earn and spend — in most countries side income has to be declared. Check the rules where you live.
- Protect the holiday itself. Block Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day as off-limits before you take any bookings.

FAQ

What are good side hustles for moms over the holidays?
Ones that follow the season and fit your free hours: house and pet sitting while families travel, gift wrapping, holiday photo help, event helping, virtual assistant work for busy small shops, and simple digital products. Ella Wealth Community suggests starting with a skill you already have, so you can begin straight away.

How much do side hustles really make?
In Bankrate's 2025 survey of US adults, the median side hustler earned $200 a month and the average was $885; 25% earned more than $500 a month. The gap between the median and average shows that a smaller group earns much more than most. These are survey results, not a prediction for any one person.

Are side hustles common for parents?
Yes. In Bankrate's 2025 survey, 34% of parents with children under 18 had a side hustle, compared with 28% of adults without children and 23% of parents of adult children. Overall, 27% of US adults had one in 2025, down from 36% in 2024.

Are there fewer holiday jobs this year?
For 2025, the National Retail Federation forecast that retailers would hire 265,000 to 365,000 seasonal workers, down from 442,000 in 2024. The 2026 forecast hadn't been published at the time of writing.

Can I sell holiday baking from home?
Possibly, but rules vary a lot by location. Some places allow small-scale home food sales with registration; others require a licensed kitchen. Check with your local authority before you sell anything.

Do I have to pay tax on side hustle income?
In many countries, yes — side income usually has to be declared. The rules and thresholds depend on where you live, so check with your local tax authority or an accountant. Keeping a simple record of income and costs from day one makes this much easier.



This article describes methods, not results. Survey figures describe other people's earnings and are not a promise or prediction of what you will earn. Not financial, legal or tax advice.

Sources

- Bankrate, "Fewer Americans have a side hustle in 2025" (2025; YouGov, 2,616 US adults, 2–4 June 2025) — 27% / 36% / 39%; parents of under-18s 34%; median $200, average $885; >$500 25%; uses of income — https://www.bankrate.com/press-releases/fewer-americans-have-a-side-hustle-in-2025/
- National Retail Federation, "NRF expects holiday sales to surpass $1 trillion for the first time in 2025" — seasonal hiring 265,000–365,000 vs 442,000 in 2024 — https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/nrf-expects-holiday-sales-to-surpass-1-trillion-for-the-first-time-in-2025
- AAA Newsroom, "AAA Thanksgiving Travel Forecast 2025" — 81.8 million travellers — https://newsroom.aaa.com/2025/11/aaa-thanksgiving-travel-forecast-2025/

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