Holiday closure messages for WhatsApp: templates for Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Christmas and year-end, and how an agent keeps answering

Customers do not stop messaging when you close for Raya. They ask whether you are open, when you reopen, and whether they can book for the week after. A closure message that answers all three, and an assistant that keeps taking bookings, means you reopen with a full diary instead of a backlog.

By Ritchie, ReplyKit · Published 5 September 2026 · 5 min read

Quick answer

A closure message states the closed dates, the reopening date, whether bookings can still be made for after reopening, an emergency contact if relevant, and a festive greeting last. Set it as the away message in WhatsApp Business, or put the dates in your AI agent's knowledge so it answers questions and books for the reopening while you are away.

Templates Keep answering while closed Rules FAQ

Templates

Hari Raya: Selamat Hari Raya from all of us at [Business]. We are closed from 30 March to 3 April and reopen Friday 4 April at 9am. You can still book appointments for after the 4th here. Maaf zahir dan batin.

Chinese New Year: Happy Chinese New Year from [Business]. We are closed from 28 January to 1 February and reopen Sunday 2 February. Bookings for after reopening are open; message us and our assistant will confirm a slot. Gong xi fa cai.

Deepavali: Happy Deepavali from [Business]. We are closed on 20 and 21 October and back on the 22nd at 10am. Orders placed now will be processed on the 22nd.

Christmas and New Year: Season's greetings from [Business]. We close on 24 December at 1pm and reopen on 2 January. Emergencies: call [number]. Bookings for January are open here.

Public holiday, one day: We are closed today for [holiday] and back tomorrow at 9am. Leave your message and we'll reply first thing; bookings can be made here now.

Restaurant festive: We're open through the holidays with festive hours: 12pm to 10pm daily, closed 1 January. Group bookings for the season are filling; reserve here.

Clinic with emergency line: [Clinic] is closed from 30 March to 3 April. For dental emergencies call [number]. Book routine appointments for after 4 April here; our assistant will confirm your slot.

Rule for every template here: send it inside a conversation the customer started, or about something they booked or bought. Messages to people who did not contact you need consent, and on the official API need an approved template. Consent rules.

Keep answering while closed

Put the closed dates, reopening date, emergency line and any order cut-off in the agent's knowledge two weeks ahead, in exact words. The agent then answers "are you open on the 1st?" correctly, takes bookings for the reopening into real slots, and hands over anything urgent with the emergency number. You come back to a booked diary. Cut-offs and status notes for peak seasons are covered in peak days.

Rules

Dates in full: day and date, not "next week".
Reopening time as well as date.
Say whether bookings and orders are accepted during the closure and when they are processed.
Greeting last, not first; the information matters more.
Update the WhatsApp Business hours too.

Frequently asked questions

What should a holiday closure message say?

Closed dates, reopening date and time, whether bookings or orders are accepted meanwhile, an emergency contact if relevant, and the greeting.

How do I set a holiday away message in WhatsApp Business?

Business tools, Away message, set a custom schedule for the closed dates and write the text.

Can the AI agent take bookings while we are closed?

Yes, for after reopening, if the closed dates and hours are in its knowledge.

Should I include an emergency number?

For clinics, trades and property management, yes. The agent hands urgent messages over with it.

When should I set the closure message?

Put dates in the agent's knowledge two weeks ahead and set the away message the day before you close.

Reopen with a full diary

The agent answers and books for the reopening while you celebrate. 7-day free trial.

Start free

Written by Ritchie, ReplyKitPart of the small team in Malaysia that builds and runs ReplyKit. Writes about WhatsApp automation, AI customer service and small business lead response.

How we know this. Festive closures are when ReplyKit customers see the value of an agent most clearly: it answers and books for the reopening while the team is away. The templates here are the away messages and the knowledge notes we recommend. Product figures in this article (limits, prices, per-reply costs) are taken from ReplyKit as it runs today and are re-checked when we update the page. Where we cite outside research, the source is linked below. We sell ReplyKit, so read our product claims with that in mind; we say where a different tool or no tool is the better choice. About ReplyKit.

Sources and further reading

WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy · opt-in, opt-out and prohibited-use rules every business must follow
Harvard Business Review, The Short Life of Online Sales Leads (Oldroyd, McElheran, Elkington, 2011) · firms that responded within an hour were about seven times more likely to qualify the lead

ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. This article is general guidance for running a small business, not legal, financial or regulatory advice.