Changing design for holidays

[Martee]

When working on your community, do you plan ahead for major holidays such as Christmas, thanksgiving and the like in terms of the design aspects of things? By this, I mean would you change certain aspects of the forum such as the logo to meet in with the holiday that is being celebrated so that you can spread some holiday feel around your community?

Personally, I would probably do a little something but not go over the top with it. Just because I am a holiday person though. What about you?

 

[Creaky]

I might change the logo slightly but not the complete style.

 

[xpl0iter]

Yeah Adding a Christmas style to a logo will be nice and easy idea!
But I don't know what to do for thanksgiving!
If adding a turkey will do, I think we can change the Meditating yoga part to a turkey!
Anyway obviously we don't have thanksgiving in here!

 

[Martee]

Well, thanksgiving was just an example I had at the time I wrote this. xD The Christmas edits are easy though, there are some nice resources over at XF for that. But we may be more unique by then, haha.

 

[xpl0iter]

We can change the meditating yoga to a santa claus!

 

[dojo]

I have too many sites to bother changing designs for the holidays. Not to mention that Easter comes differently for us Orthodox people (usually a week after the 'normal' one, unless it's a 'special' year and they're both at the same time). I run international forums and some might not like celebrating Christmas for instance (other religion), not to mention it's a lot of extra work and I tend to be lazy

 

[Southern Comfort]

A post in the announcements is good enough for me. If a forum has like a one year anniversary I might add a birthday cake to the logo or something. I'm not one to care about that some people don't celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July, holidays like that, but I usually just keep it to a simple post instead of making everyone else see it. I try and make a melting pot of cultures when making a forum.

 

[Gytix]

It's a neccisty for me, especially for christmas.. just add a snowfall animation to the logo and you're sorted; simple.

 

[MyDigitalpoint]

Holidays are around the corner and thought to revive this post because beside adding animations that prevents the change of layout, I think to have seen new ways to customize a given theme or layout to match the holidays ambiance.

This is mostly made either using Ajax or jQuery, in example, by adding a slider photo showcase with seasonal theme, or simply making a Holidays site logo for every festive season.

What are you planning for the upcoming holidays?
Dressing up your forum, make a few seasonal changes, or nothing?

 

[JLogan]

Nope, I don't usually change things since it's a holiday. Not everybody celebrates the same things or celebrates at the same time. I really don't want to favor one group of peoples holidays over anothers, so I just stick with the usual theme/look.

 

[enhu]

I might not though, I have done this before to my forum and I feel like no one appreciates it the fact that some members aren't Christian at all. When I created a thread about the changes I made, that's the time they notice it lol. I guess a simple giveaways will do to make them feel the spirit of Xmas.

 

[MyDigitalpoint]

Never thought of it despite I remember that, at some point, I was unsure about what to do when I saw that Servage (where I was hosted then) had two different banners for a Christmas promotion, one with Santa in a sunny beach and the traditional snow setting most of us know.

That was the first time I came across that not all of us celebrate those holidays at the same time nor with the same background settings, nor either the fact that for many people such holidays are merely religious and for others traditions that came with consumerism.

But you are right enhu, many times people don't care about those seasonal changes nor appreciates them

 

[Beverly]

I've seen some general chat forums that keep up the Christmas theme well into January. And, I'm just guessing that's because the forum owner is still on holiday or can't be bothered to change the forum back. The worst case scenario is when the forum goes inactive and gets abandoned right after Christmas (or whatever holiday it is) and is perpetually stuck with a Santa/snow/easter bunny theme for years.

 

[lludawg]

I am a part of a forum that has an amazing graphics team. They will create a whole new theme for the holidays. It definitely puts you in a good mood to log in one day and see the theme changed to a snowy, Winter Christmas theme or a spooky Halloween theme!

 

[PandahFish]

When I owned my general discussion forum, the graphics team and I would create a new theme for every holiday. It was pretty hard to keep up with especially with holidays that were close to each other. But it gave the forum a more welcoming feel to it. But it was fun.

I am a part of a forum that has an amazing graphics team. They will create a whole new theme for the holidays. It definitely puts you in a good mood to log in one day and see the theme changed to a snowy, Winter Christmas theme or a spooky Halloween theme!

What's the forums name?

 

[lludawg]

When I owned my general discussion forum, the graphics team and I would create a new theme for every holiday. It was pretty hard to keep up with especially with holidays that were close to each other. But it gave the forum a more welcoming feel to it. But it was fun.

What's the forums name?

It is a kpop music forum by the name of OneHallyu. I am not sure if you know it. Do you?

 

[PandahFish]

It is a kpop music forum by the name of OneHallyu. I am not sure if you know it. Do you?

I have never heard of it actually. Would you mind shooting me a pm so I can check it out? o:

 

[lludawg]

I have never heard of it actually. Would you mind shooting me a pm so I can check it out? o:

Here it is in case anyone else is interested!

http://onehallyu.com/

On the bottom left of the site is the change theme button. They only have custom themes during the holidays for a limited time.

 

[PandahFish]

Here it is in case anyone else is interested!

http://onehallyu.com/

On the bottom left of the site is the change theme button. They only have custom themes during the holidays for a limited time.

It's a nice forum, I like the icons next to the forum's. It looks really active as well, all forums have posts made from yesterday and today. I know it's not your forum but the only problem I have is how big the recent topics list is.

 

[milksheikh]

I think its a great idea, I seem to change my logo style for the holidays. Other than that I don't make major theme changes.