See how the holiday season influences currency exchange rates and your international transfers.
If you have ever sent money abroad during Christmas, New Year, Eid, Diwali, or any major holiday period, you may have noticed something strange: exchange rates often move more than usual. Sometimes you get more value for your money, sometimes less.
We will help you understand why exchange rates react sharply, especially during festive seasons, and how you can navigate this successfully.
Why Exchange Rates Move During the Holidays
Exchange rates change every day. They respond to demand and supply, global events, and financial expectations. But the holiday season creates its own set of forces. The three biggest are reduced market activity, increased personal spending, and seasonal business patterns.
During the holiday season, especially between late December and early January, many financial traders and institutions take time off. This reduces activity in the global currency market.
Low activity does not make markets calm. It does the opposite. When fewer trades are happening, a single large transaction can push the exchange rate up or down more than usual. Think of it like a quiet road: one fast car is more noticeable than on a busy highway.
This is why you sometimes see sudden spikes during holiday periods. The move isn’t always caused by big news. It is often caused by a market that is thinner and more sensitive.
Increased Remittances Push Certain Currencies Up
Holiday spending doesn’t just affect you; it influences global finance in ways similar to yearly seasonal trends described by economists. Retail spending spikes, supply chains tighten, and international trade flows grow sharply toward year-end. According to the World Trade Organization, global trade volumes rose by around 15% in the final quarter, which contributes to real pressures on currency demand. These patterns echo broader market dynamics often highlighted in seasonal finance research, where increased consumption reshapes exchange movements.
Because holidays are when people send money home the most. This happens worldwide, but it is especially common in diaspora communities that support family during festive seasons. Like a Nigerian living abroad who often sends money home during December. The same applies to Filipinos, Indians, Ghanaians, and many others. When more people are buying a specific currency for remittances, demand rises. Rising demand pushes that currency upward.
If many people are converting dollars, euros, pounds, or Canadian dollars into naira, euros, or CAD at the same time, those receiving currencies may temporarily strengthen.
This is why you may notice slightly lower rates when sending money home during peak holiday weeks. You are competing with thousands of people making the same type of transaction.
Travel Season Also Affects Exchange Rates
Holidays are one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Millions of people buy foreign currency for vacations. Airlines, hotels, and travel agencies also move large sums to pay suppliers abroad.
When there is high demand for a particular currency, that currency tends to get stronger. For instance, when Canadians travel to the U.S. for Christmas shopping, the demand for USD rises. More demand usually means a firmer dollar.
The opposite can also happen. Countries with large outbound travel may see their own currency weaken as people sell it for another.
Travel season creates pressure points that ripple into the broader currency market.
Businesses Reshuffle Money At End Of The Year
Many companies make international payments at the end of the year. They settle invoices, move profits across borders, buy inventory, or adjust their financial statements.
These business decisions are not emotional. They are strategic. When many companies move money at the same time, it can influence exchange rates.
For instance, European companies with U.S. suppliers who pay before year-end, then demand for USD increases. This seasonal pattern explains why the U.S. dollar often strengthens at the end of the year.
Similarly, some businesses move money back to their home currency for tax or reporting purposes, especially in December. These flows create short-term movements that you might notice when checking rates.
Currency Risk Increases When Markets Reopen
After major holidays, markets often react strongly. Traders return, companies resume activity, and financial institutions catch up on pending transactions.
This fresh wave of activity can cause sharp movements in the first few days after a holiday. If economic reports or political news are released during the break, markets may make up for the paused activity all at once.
The result? Exchange rates may jump quickly as soon as trading resumes.
If you regularly send money across borders, it helps to keep an eye on the first business day after major holidays.
How Holidays Affect Different Currency Pairs
Not all currencies react the same way. Some are more sensitive to holiday patterns. Here are a few simple examples:
- USD often strengthens at year-end because global companies settle accounts in dollars.
- GBP and EUR may weaken slightly during December as European companies reduce activity.
- NGN, PHP, INR, GHS, and similar currencies often see increased demand because of holiday remittances.
- CAD can be affected by U.S. dollar strength and cross-border shopping patterns.
If you watch these currencies regularly, you will notice familiar patterns around major holidays.
How To Time Your Transfers During The Holiday Season
You cannot control exchange rates, but you can make smarter decisions. Here are a few practical habits:
- Check rates early. Rates often move more the closer you get to major holidays.
- Send money a little earlier than usual. This avoids peak remittance pressure.
- Avoid sending during the quietest market days. Low-volume days can produce unpredictable swings.
- Use apps with live exchange rates. Real-time tools help you catch better pricing.
- Break large transfers into smaller ones. This reduces the risk of hitting a bad rate all at once.
Holidays create emotional, financial, and practical pressure points across global markets. Currency exchanges feel all of these at once. With more people sending money home, more travellers buying currency, and businesses moving funds before year-end, it’s natural for rates to shift.
Understanding these patterns helps you send at the right time and avoid unnecessary losses. And when you need a transfer platform with transparent rates and fast delivery, CadRemit makes it easier to stay in control during any season.
