diff --git a/.changeset/afraid-ligers-add.md b/.changeset/afraid-ligers-add.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..725c312ca102
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/afraid-ligers-add.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"create-astro": patch
+---
+
+Improves seasonal message handling by automatically detecting the local date
diff --git a/packages/create-astro/package.json b/packages/create-astro/package.json
index 8a9b8991e3f7..d4f84add5772 100644
--- a/packages/create-astro/package.json
+++ b/packages/create-astro/package.json
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
   "//a": "MOST PACKAGES SHOULD GO IN DEV_DEPENDENCIES! THEY WILL BE BUNDLED.",
   "//b": "DEPENDENCIES IS FOR UNBUNDLED PACKAGES",
   "dependencies": {
-    "@astrojs/cli-kit": "^0.4.0",
+    "@astrojs/cli-kit": "^0.4.1",
     "giget": "1.1.3"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/create-astro/src/actions/context.ts b/packages/create-astro/src/actions/context.ts
index 7a401162544d..51ee6280bc89 100644
--- a/packages/create-astro/src/actions/context.ts
+++ b/packages/create-astro/src/actions/context.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import arg from 'arg';
 import os from 'node:os';
 
 import { getName, getVersion } from '../messages.js';
+import getSeasonalData from '../data/seasonal.js';
 
 export interface Context {
 	help: boolean;
@@ -25,7 +26,9 @@ export interface Context {
 	stdin?: typeof process.stdin;
 	stdout?: typeof process.stdout;
 	exit(code: number): never;
+	welcome?: string;
 	hat?: string;
+	tie?: string;
 	tasks: Task[];
 }
 
@@ -83,6 +86,8 @@ export async function getContext(argv: string[]): Promise<Context> {
 		((os.platform() === 'win32' && !fancy) || skipHouston) ??
 		[yes, no, install, git, typescript].some((v) => v !== undefined);
 
+	const { messages, hats, ties } = getSeasonalData({ fancy });
+
 	const context: Context = {
 		help,
 		prompt,
@@ -95,7 +100,9 @@ export async function getContext(argv: string[]): Promise<Context> {
 		projectName,
 		template,
 		ref: ref ?? 'latest',
-		hat: random(['❄️', '🎄', '🎁']), // fancy ? random(['🎩', '🎩', '🎩', '🎩', '🎓', '👑', '🧢', '🍦']) : undefined,
+		welcome: random(messages),
+		hat: hats ? random(hats) : undefined,
+		tie: ties ? random(ties) : undefined,
 		yes,
 		install: install ?? (noInstall ? false : undefined),
 		git: git ?? (noGit ? false : undefined),
diff --git a/packages/create-astro/src/actions/intro.ts b/packages/create-astro/src/actions/intro.ts
index 1781fb260109..526b8e5cca72 100644
--- a/packages/create-astro/src/actions/intro.ts
+++ b/packages/create-astro/src/actions/intro.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 import type { Context } from './context.js';
 
 import { color, label } from '@astrojs/cli-kit';
-import { random } from '@astrojs/cli-kit/utils';
-import { banner, say, welcome } from '../messages.js';
+import { banner, say } from '../messages.js';
 
 export async function intro(
-	ctx: Pick<Context, 'hat' | 'skipHouston' | 'version' | 'username' | 'fancy'>
+	ctx: Pick<Context, 'skipHouston' | 'welcome' | 'hat' | 'tie' | 'version' | 'username' | 'fancy'>
 ) {
 	banner();
 
 	if (!ctx.skipHouston) {
+		const { welcome, hat, tie } = ctx;
 		await say(
 			[
 				[
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ export async function intro(
 					),
 					Promise.resolve(ctx.username).then((username) => `${username}!`),
 				],
-				random(welcome),
-			],
-			{ clear: true, hat: ctx.hat }
+				welcome ?? 'Let\'s build something awesome!',
+			] as string[],
+			{ clear: true, hat, tie }
 		);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/packages/create-astro/src/actions/next-steps.ts b/packages/create-astro/src/actions/next-steps.ts
index 86907abf54bc..5444020e4fa7 100644
--- a/packages/create-astro/src/actions/next-steps.ts
+++ b/packages/create-astro/src/actions/next-steps.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import type { Context } from './context.js';
 
 import { nextSteps, say } from '../messages.js';
 
-export async function next(ctx: Pick<Context, 'hat' | 'cwd' | 'packageManager' | 'skipHouston'>) {
+export async function next(ctx: Pick<Context, 'hat' | 'tie' | 'cwd' | 'packageManager' | 'skipHouston'>) {
 	let projectDir = path.relative(process.cwd(), ctx.cwd);
 
 	const commandMap: { [key: string]: string } = {
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ export async function next(ctx: Pick<Context, 'hat' | 'cwd' | 'packageManager' |
 	await nextSteps({ projectDir, devCmd });
 
 	if (!ctx.skipHouston) {
-		await say(['Good luck out there, astronaut! 🚀'], { hat: ctx.hat });
+		await say(['Good luck out there, astronaut! 🚀'], { hat: ctx.hat, tie: ctx.tie });
 	}
 	return;
 }
diff --git a/packages/create-astro/src/data/seasonal.ts b/packages/create-astro/src/data/seasonal.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bd36ac1592fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create-astro/src/data/seasonal.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+interface SeasonalHouston {
+	hats?: string[];
+	ties?: string[];
+	messages: string[]
+}
+
+export default function getSeasonalHouston({ fancy }: { fancy?: boolean }): SeasonalHouston {
+	const season = getSeason();
+	switch (season) {
+		case 'new-year': {
+			const year = new Date().getFullYear();
+			return {
+				hats: rarity(0.5, ['🎩']),
+				ties: rarity(0.25, ['🎊', '🎀', '🎉']),
+				messages: [
+					`New year, new Astro site!`,
+					`Kicking ${year} off with Astro?! What an honor!`,
+					`Happy ${year}! Let's make something cool.`,
+					`${year} is your year! Let's build something awesome.`,
+					`${year} is the year of Astro!`,
+					`${year} is clearly off to a great start!`,
+					`Thanks for starting ${year} with Astro!`
+				]
+			}
+		}
+		case 'spooky': return {
+			hats: rarity(0.5, ['🎃', '👻', '☠️', '💀', '🕷️', '🔮']),
+			ties: rarity(0.25, ['🦴', '🍬', '🍫']),
+			messages: [
+				`I'm afraid I can't help you... Just kidding!`,
+				`Boo! Just kidding. Let's make a website!`,
+				`Let's haunt the internet. OooOooOOoo!`,
+				`No tricks here. Seeing you is always treat!`,
+				`Spiders aren't the only ones building the web!`,
+				`Let's conjure up some web magic!`,
+				`Let's harness the power of Astro to build a frightful new site!`,
+				`We're conjuring up a spooktacular website!`,
+				`Prepare for a web of spooky wonders to be woven.`,
+				`Chills and thrills await you on your new project!`,
+			]
+		}
+		case 'holiday': return {
+			hats: rarity(0.75, ['🎁', '🎄', '🌲']),
+			ties: rarity(0.75, ['🧣']),
+			messages: [
+				`'Tis the season to code and create.`,
+				`Jingle all the way through your web creation journey!`,
+				`Bells are ringing, and so are your creative ideas!`,
+				`Let's make the internet our own winter wonderland!`,
+				`It's time to decorate a brand new website!`,
+				`Let's unwrap the magic of the web together!`,
+				`Hope you're enjoying the holiday season!`,
+				`I'm dreaming of a brand new website!`,
+				`No better holiday gift than a new site!`,
+				`Your creativity is the gift that keeps on giving!`,
+			]
+		}
+		default: return {
+			hats: fancy ? ['🎩', '🎩', '🎩', '🎩', '🎓', '👑', '🧢', '🍦'] : undefined,
+			ties: fancy ? rarity(0.33, ['🎀', '🧣']) : undefined,
+			messages: [
+				`Let's claim your corner of the internet.`,
+				`I'll be your assistant today.`,
+				`Let's build something awesome!`,
+				`Let's build something great!`,
+				`Let's build something fast!`,
+				`Let's build the web we want.`,
+				`Let's make the web weird!`,
+				`Let's make the web a better place!`,
+				`Let's create a new project!`,
+				`Let's create something unique!`,
+				`Time to build a new website.`,
+				`Time to build a faster website.`,
+				`Time to build a sweet new website.`,
+				`We're glad to have you on board.`,
+				`Keeping the internet weird since 2021.`,
+				`Initiating launch sequence...`,
+				`Initiating launch sequence... right... now!`,
+				`Awaiting further instructions.`,
+			]
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+type Season = 'spooky' | 'holiday' | 'new-year';
+function getSeason(): Season | undefined {
+	const date = new Date();
+	const month = date.getMonth() + 1;
+	const day = date.getDate() + 1;
+
+	if (month === 1 && day <= 7) {
+		return 'new-year';
+	}
+	if (month === 10 && day > 7) {
+		return 'spooky'
+	}
+	if (month === 12 && day > 7 && day < 25) {
+		return 'holiday'
+	}
+}
+
+// Generates an array padded with empty strings to make decorations more rare
+function rarity(frequency: number, emoji: string[]) {
+	if (frequency === 1) return emoji;
+	if (frequency === 0) return [''];
+	const empty = Array.from({ length: Math.round(emoji.length * frequency) }, () => '')
+	return [...emoji, ...empty];
+}
diff --git a/packages/create-astro/src/messages.ts b/packages/create-astro/src/messages.ts
index 31032fbabf33..a11f45acd0f7 100644
--- a/packages/create-astro/src/messages.ts
+++ b/packages/create-astro/src/messages.ts
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ export function setStdout(writable: typeof process.stdout) {
 	stdout = writable;
 }
 
-export async function say(messages: string | string[], { clear = false, hat = '' } = {}) {
-	return houston(messages, { clear, hat, stdout });
+export async function say(messages: string | string[], { clear = false, hat = '', tie = ''} = {}) {
+	return houston(messages, { clear, hat, tie, stdout });
 }
 
 export async function spinner(args: {
@@ -39,33 +39,6 @@ export async function spinner(args: {
 
 export const title = (text: string) => align(label(text), 'end', 7) + ' ';
 
-export const welcome = [
-	// `Let's claim your corner of the internet.`,
-	// `I'll be your assistant today.`,
-	// `Let's build something awesome!`,
-	// `Let's build something great!`,
-	// `Let's build something fast!`,
-	// `Let's build the web we want.`,
-	// `Let's make the web weird!`,
-	// `Let's make the web a better place!`,
-	// `Let's create a new project!`,
-	// `Let's create something unique!`,
-	// `Time to build a new website.`,
-	// `Time to build a faster website.`,
-	// `Time to build a sweet new website.`,
-	// `We're glad to have you on board.`,
-	// `Keeping the internet weird since 2021.`,
-	// `Initiating launch sequence...`,
-	// `Initiating launch sequence... right... now!`,
-	// `Awaiting further instructions.`,
-	`Ho, ho, ho! 'Tis the season to code and create.`,
-	`Jingle all the way through your web creation journey!`,
-	`Let's unwrap the magic of the web together!`,
-	`Bells are ringing, and so are your creative ideas!`,
-	`It's starting to look a lot like Christmas on the internet.`,
-	`It's time to decorate the web with your festive ideas!`,
-];
-
 export const getName = () =>
 	new Promise<string>((resolve) => {
 		exec('git config user.name', { encoding: 'utf-8' }, (_1, gitName) => {
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 27e6037c8ee5..7dd02558ad6a 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -3737,8 +3737,8 @@ importers:
   packages/create-astro:
     dependencies:
       '@astrojs/cli-kit':
-        specifier: ^0.4.0
-        version: 0.4.0
+        specifier: ^0.4.1
+        version: 0.4.1
       giget:
         specifier: 1.1.3
         version: 1.1.3
@@ -5280,8 +5280,8 @@ packages:
       sisteransi: 1.0.5
     dev: false
 
-  /@astrojs/cli-kit@0.4.0:
-    resolution: {integrity: sha512-M7R2Af/Gh13pwZ2zjTkTPt87x4IjRw/bSRCmjJGWEGeW3nLNzuEeRY8tleeIGbbfUsm3DJg+UF5rCrQGoviHgQ==}
+  /@astrojs/cli-kit@0.4.1:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-bVzyKzEpIwqjihBU/aUzt1LQckJuHK0agd3/ITdXhPUYculrc6K1/K7H+XG4rwjXtg+ikT3PM05V1MVYWiIvQw==}
     engines: {node: '>=18.14.1'}
     dependencies:
       chalk: 5.3.0