We were lucky to catch up with Jeanna Crawford recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jeanna, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Jeanna Loves Christmas started four years ago with 110 followers on Instagram and a passion to share my love of Christmas with the world. We now have 206,000 Christmasers on Instagram and over 300,000 across all platforms – people who are just as excited to share daily life with me as much as our mutual love of the season! This growth is a reflection of connection.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I was brand new to Instagram with 110 friends and one stranger named Scott. Scott unfollowed me after my first post on September 21, 2018 where I introduced myself to him in the caption. The rest of us had a good laugh! The post was a photo of my ankles crossed while in front of Halloween décor. I was wearing Vans – a very signature part of my look as is that style shot – customized with #jeannaloveschristmas and “All is Calm, All is Bright.” I didn’t realize at the time that those Vans would be seen by literally millions of people.

The platform was all photos back then and I liked it that way. The grid was gorgeous! I posted in Stories from the start: almost all photos and a little video of what I was buying or making. It wasn’t until a month later I showed my face talking on Stories. If you want to make a real connection, you’re going to have to get real.
This one action started so many relationships that I will treasure forever: my OG Christmasers! I ended the season with 1,500 Christmasers and I was elated! We were a community! We did some real life together and really forged that bond.

Year two was 2020 – everyone was in quarantine. I started to film tutorials on IGTV (RIP IGTV). I was posting daily. Video really made it easier for Christmasers to find me and know me at a time when people desperately needed to feel like they weren’t alone.

During unprecedented times, while managing great stress, I was having fun! My community found a way to be together even though we were so far apart. Some Christmasers were quarantined the entire year but we were together, every single day, through Instagram.

Filming myself while decorating felt so strange at the start – but it never felt strange to talk to who I knew was watching. They chose me, they love me, I love them and they were my safe space. We were a small community with big love.

And… then we grew. My Grinch Tree Tutorial was seen by Desi Perkins, a massive social powerhouse. She shared it to her Stories and we learned what it meant to go viral. The vid wracked over 500,000 views on IGTV overnight and brought in 10,000 Christmasers in 24 hours.

I did what anyone – or maybe just me – would do in response. I hopped on IG Live with a good amount of “happy hour” in me and thanked Desi and my neighbor’s cat, Rock, who I had also made a tree for that day. I welcomed all the new Christmasers and cried a bit. That gem is still there, I never deleted it.

The lesson here: be authentic. I looked crazy but within minutes you knew what you were getting with me. And I didn’t scare Desi away! She and her whole family are now dear friends and part of our community. We ended the season with 20,000 Christmasers. And, just as I did the year prior, I was responsive to everyone all year long.

I reply to everyone and I share everything. Everything! I share it because someone, somewhere is watching and has been waiting to feel seen or heard. This isn’t a perfect life but there is beauty to be seen within it; I share imperfections and beauty simultaneously. For me, it’s not about growing a following, it’s about keeping them and making sure they know they aren’t a number to me. To do that, you must be real.

Year three I was still flying by the seat of my pants but I made intentional content in advance and we dove into reels. If you haven’t yet – dive into Reels! I created content with my famous friends, best friends, kids, pets – I became a content creator. To be a true content creator, you must create original, sharable content. I had the best help around to create my posts and post them for me. This allowed me to be creative while still engaging with my community and running multiple businesses. I gently dipped my toes into the YouTube waters with longer form and timeless videos. We ended the third season with 95,000 Christmasers. We did all the holidays together and more off-season bonding.

Going into season 4, I was as ready as I could have been. We made content for months before the season started. I made more memories on film with friends. Deeper connections with the Christmasers were forged.
We invested a lot of time into YouTube, which in turn sent so many new Christmasers to IG where personal connections are formed. We sold the product I was using this season, which was wildly successful. There was much more of an ease to this season even though I burned 20 hours of energy a day. I don’t know that I’ll ever understand the algorithm, but we gave it our all and ended the season at 205,000 Christmasers on Instagram and over 300,000 between platforms.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I thought I started this account to inspire and teach the best in Christmasing, but it turns out I’m here for the connections made with amazing humans I would never have encountered in my everyday life.

It’s worth noting that I don’t use the word “followers,” because I didn’t start this to influence others. I came to inspire! As a follower of Christ, I didn’t want anyone “following” me – I wanted them to walk alongside me on this journey.

My growth is a reflection of connection. My DMs are filled daily with pictures of babies, stories about new loves, requests for prayers, and so much more.

I often wonder what I did in this life to deserve so much love but I always say I’ll never stop trying to deserve it. I was sent an image last week from a newly married Christmaser of the bouquet she made saying she knew I would be proud of her. She had lost her mom when she was young and wanted to share her wedding with me. I will never take that for granted. I wake up to the kindest words of love and support every day.

I also wake up to the news of death, cancer, homelessness, abuse – with all the joy and endless things to celebrate, there is a tremendous amount of heart and prayer that goes into the life part.

I began this journey to spread Christmas cheer and share what I know. I used to have this really clear vision of my end game but I no longer do… I just know wherever I go, the Christmasers are going with me!     

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jeannaloveschristmas.com
• Instagram: @jeannaloveschristmas
• Youtube: Jeanna Loves Christmas
• TikTok: Jeanna Loves Christmas

Image Credits
The first three images: Tara Rochelle