It’s that time of year again, where averege Joes and everyday Janes turn into holiday-hosting Marthas, turning frantically to books, magazines and websites for party tips and meal ideas.

To engage this knowledge-hungry crowd, Shaw Media channels HGTV and Food Network Canada have launched holiday-themed microsites, featuring co-promotional content and exclusive sponsorships.

The sites offer original videos and articles on how to make cocktails and how to set a table. Canadian Tire is the exclusive sponsor of the HGTV sites while the Food Network holiday site is co-presented by KitchenAid and Canadian Tire. Both sites feature roadblock display ads by the presenting sponsor.

The holiday sites represent an opportunity for the media brands to attract new fans with a zest for entertaining, while giving established fans special content, Amy Hampson, content manager, Foodnetwork.ca, tells MiC.

‘This is the time people are online looking for ideas, looking for recipes, looking for décor ideas, so we package this content together in a meaningful and fun way to make it a one-stop shop for all things holidays.’

HGTV’s holiday site features holiday craft ideas, a gift guide by blogger Julia Black, photo galleries and templates so visitors can make their own place card settings and gift tags. On the Food Network site, users can see more than 125 holiday recipes, video clip tutorials, full episodes of Christmas cooking specials, a holiday blog and holiday cookbook reviews. Visitors will also be able to download greeting cards, recipe cards, cookie stencils and shopping lists to help prepare cooks for dinners and brunches throughout the holidays. Both sites feature co-promotional content.

On-air promos for the two sites will be running in the lead-up to the holidays on Shaw Media channels, and the websites and social media sites of the two properties will be pushing to the microsites. The target market for the sites is 25- to 54-year-olds.