The holiday cutoff: how many more orders actually fit

Every November brings the same question: if I say yes to one more Christmas order, will it actually be done in time? The Holiday planner answers it from your real numbers — the orders already in your queue, your machine's pace, and your working hours — instead of your gut at 11pm.

You will find it on the Production page, on the tab called Holiday planner.

Set it up once

1. 1On the Production page, open Machine & time settings and save your stitch speed and working hours first. The planner computes every date from them.
2. 2On the Holiday planner tab, set Orders in hands by — the date finished pieces need to be with your customers. December 24 for Christmas, earlier if you ship.
3. 3Turn on Show the order-by banner on my shop. Your storefront and every listing page get one line: Order by [date] for Christmas delivery. The date updates as your queue fills, so it is always one you can keep.
4. 4If you want, turn on Offer rush orders past the cutoff and set your rush fee. That adds a line to the banner saying rush orders are accepted for the fee — it is messaging only, and you decide order by order and add the fee to the quote yourself.

When your queue is full

The planner also tells you how many more typical orders fit before the cutoff. When the cutoff passes — or your queue fills up before it — the banner switches to a waitlist signup on its own. You never have to shut your shop off to survive December: latecomers leave their name instead of an order you can't finish, and each signup lands on your Leads page so January starts with a list of people who already want something.