Christmas Greetings: What to Write in a Christmas Card

With the holiday season fast approaching, there’s a lot to cross off your to-do list—from taking a fun family Christmas photo to finishing your holiday shopping. Designing your family Christmas card is just one more task, but we’re here to make it a breeze. Our guide is packed with tips and ideas to help you craft the perfect Christmas card wording, ensuring your holiday greetings are heartfelt and memorable. Whether you’re sending cards to close friends, family, or business associates, we’ll help you spread holiday cheer with ease. Dive into our tips, examples, and ideas to make your holiday cards truly special this year.

Jump to a specific section to find the perfect Christmas card wording and messages:

What to Write in a Christmas Card
Classic Christmas Card Messages
Funny Christmas Card Messages
Religious Christmas Card Greetings
Business Christmas Card Greetings
Christmas Card Quotes
Christmas Messages For Friends
Christmas Messages For Family
Messages For Co-Worker
Messages For Boss

What to Write in a Christmas Card: Holiday Greetings Wording

Not sure how to start your holiday message? Whether you’re writing to family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors, a thoughtful Christmas card greeting can go a long way. Here’s a simple breakdown to help you craft a message that feels warm, personal, and full of holiday cheer.

1. Start with a Festive Greeting

Kick things off with a classic or cheerful opening. A few go-to favorites:

Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Wishing you peace, love, and joy this season.

2. Add a Personal Touch

Include a sentence or two that reflects your relationship with the recipient. This could be a quick update, a shared memory, or a heartfelt thank-you.

It’s been such a joy watching your family grow this year.
So grateful for your friendship and support in 2025.

3. Share Warm Wishes

This is the heart of your message—send love, hope, and good vibes for the season and the year ahead.

Wishing you a cozy, joyful Christmas and a bright New Year.
May your holidays be filled with laughter, love, and a little bit of magic.

4. Sign Off with Love

Wrap it up with a warm closing that matches your tone:

With love,
Warmest wishes,
Cheers to the season,

Classic Christmas Card Messages

Some greetings never go out of style. If you’re looking for timeless Christmas card wording that feels warm, sincere, and universally loved, these classic messages are perfect for spreading holiday cheer to anyone on your list.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
Unwrap yourself a joyful Christmas!
Have a holly, jolly Christmas!
Merry Christmas with lots of love.
The best present one can hope for this year is to spend time together. I can’t wait to celebrate the holidays with you.
Have yourself a Merry little Christmas, Let your heart be light.
Ho Ho Hope you’ve been good this year. Merry Christmas!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Let us celebrate by spreading goodwill and Christmas cheer!
May the spirit of Christmas be with you throughout the New Year.
May the sights and sounds of Christmas work their merry magic in your heart.
May the sweet magic of Christmas conspire to gladden your heart and fill every desire.
May this Christmas end the present year on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright New Year. Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
May the Christmas season fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter.
Thinking warmly of each of you and wishing your family an extra measure of comfort, joy and hope this Christmas.
Here’s to a season filled with warmth, comfort and good cheer!
May the magic and thrill of the holiday season stretch on!
Have a great Christmas! Take the time to celebrate your desires, values and affections with your loved ones. Wishing you all the best.
The [insert name here] family wishes you and all those close to you a joyous holiday season and new year filled with happiness and hope for a world at peace.
Whatever is beautiful, whatever is meaningful, whatever brings happiness, may it be yours this holiday season and throughout the coming year.
To those we love and see each day and other loved ones far away, to all good friends who mean so much and those with whom we’re out of touch… Wishing you every happiness this holiday season and throughout the coming year.
Hope you have a remember-forever-and-ever kind of holiday.

Funny Christmas Card Messages

Bring on the holiday laughs! Whether you’re sending cards to friends with a great sense of humor or just want to lighten the mood, these playful and funny Christmas card messages are sure to make spirits bright—and maybe even earn a chuckle or two.

Christmas is Claus for celebration!
Three phrases that sum up Christmas are: Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men and Batteries not Included.
May your fun be large and bills be small this year. Merry Christmas!
Please note: Christmas is cancelled. Apparently, you told Santa you have been good this year…he died laughing.
There’s snowbody like you!
Christmas is the season when you buy this year’s gifts with next year’s money.
Fa la la la la, la la la la! Wishing you some decked out holiday glee!
My favorite part of the holiday season is blaming my long-term weight gain on the holiday season. Merry Christmas!
When you stop believing in Santa Claus is when you start to get clothes for Christmas. Happy holidays!
I put so much thought into your gift that it’s now too late to get it. Merry Christmas anyways!
Get your fat pants ready, it’s Christmas!
Merry Christmas! Know what the best thing about this card is? It doesn’t come with a fruitcake!
Why are Dasher and Dancer always taking coffee breaks? Because they are Santa’s star bucks. Happy Holidays!
Anyone know where I can buy love? They told me that was the best thing to give out this Christmas.
The best thing we all teach our kids about Christmas is honesty. “Sure…there’s a real Santa Claus.”
May your gifts be many, and your returns be few. Have a stress free holiday season!
Christmas is mostly for children. But we adults can enjoy it too, until the credit card bills arrive.
Christmas is a time for remembering family and trying to guess everyone’s sizes! Have a wonderful Christmas.
“Christmas is a time when everyone wants his past forgotten and his present remembered.” -Phyllis Diller
“You can tell a lot about a person by the way they handle three things: a rainy day, lost luggage and tangled Christmas lights.” -Maya Angelou
“You know you’re getting old when Santa starts looking younger.” -Robert Paul

Religious Christmas Card Greetings

Celebrate the true meaning of Christmas with messages that reflect faith, hope, and the joy of the season. These religious greetings and Bible verses about Christmas are ideal for sharing spiritual warmth and honoring the sacred traditions of the holiday. Share it on a religious Christmas card that’s perfectly customized for you and your family.

Jesus is the reason for this Christmas season.
God bless you at Christmas and always.
May the timeless message of Christmas fill your heart and home with joy now and throughout the coming year.
May you have the gift of faith, the blessing of hope and the peace of his love at Christmas and always.
Holy Christmas Night. On this holy night may your heart be illuminated with love, joy and peace. We wish you a wonderful season. Merry Christmas to all!
Rejoice in the birth of our Lord and Savior. May the blessings of Christ be upon you and your loved ones this season and into the New Year.
Hope you’re filled with His love and wrapped in His peace as we celebrate the miracle of His birth.
Christmas is a time to open our hearts to God and his gifts. Just like the rest of the year.
My special wishes to you and to all those who are close to you. May you have a Christmas that is more special than it has ever been. May Baby Jesus bless you abundantly.
As we rejoice and celebrate this wonderful season of Christmas, let us not forget to thank baby Jesus for coming into our lives. Let us together prepare ourselves to welcome him into the homes of our hearts. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.
May you have the gift of Faith, the blessing of Hope, and the peace of His Love at Christmas and always.
May the blessing of knowing Christ enrich your life in the year 2017.
A Christmas prayer from the [insert name here] family. We pray your spirit is light with hope, your heart is filled with joy and your holiday is blessed with the Glory of God. May his love bring you peace at Christmas and always.
As you celebrate the miracle of this special season, may your heart be filled with joy and peace. May these holiday blessings linger in your home and stay with you throughout the year.
“And so, this Christmas season May our hearts with gladness glow, As we read the blessed story that took place so long ago.” -Alpha L. Butain, The First Christmas
“Christmas is joy, religious joy, an inner joy of light and peace.” -Pope Francis
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 Merriest Christmas!
For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11
She will bear a Son; and you shall call his name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. Matthew 1:21
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Matthew 1:23

Business Christmas Card Greetings

Holiday cards are a great way to strengthen professional relationships. From polished thank-yous to seasonal well-wishes, find wording that’s festive, respectful, and just the right amount of formal.

Merry Christmas! Looking forward to a successful year!
Tidings of Joy.
Wishing you the gifts of the season —Peace, Joy, Hope.
Joy! Celebrate the season.
Wintry wishes. May this season bring you the gifts of peace, hope, and joy.
Thank you for your business. We look forward to celebrating the spirit of the season with you.
We’re sending our very best wishes and we’re adding this special thought too…an extra Merry Christmas we bring all of you. Thank you and happy holidays!
Happy Holidays and warm wishes for 2016!
May the good cheer last throughout the year.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season.
We appreciate your business and wish you the best in the coming year.
Best wishes for a happy holiday season and our sincere thanks for your loyalty and goodwill throughout the year.
We’re so glad to have you as a client and look forward to
Wishing you every happiness this holiday season and throughout the coming year.
Sharing work experience with you is a treasure; best wishes for the opportunity to serve in your establishment. Happy Christmas.
All of us at [Company Name] join in saying Thank You and wishing you happy holidays.
Happy Holidays from everyone at [Company Name]. We hope your holidays will be filled with joy and laughter through the New Year.
With sincere appreciation for your friendship and goodwill, we wish you all the joys of this holiday season.
At the holiday season, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our progress possible. It is in this spirit that we say…Thank you and best wishes for the holidays and Happy New Year.
Because the goodwill of those we serve is the foundation of our success, it’s a real pleasure at this holiday time to say thank you as we wish you a full year of happiness and success.
As the Holiday Season is upon us, we find ourselves reflecting on the past year and on those who have helped to shape our business in a most significant way. We value our relationship with you and look forward to working with you in the year to come. We wish you a very happy Holiday Season and a New Year filled with peace and prosperity.
You are a wonderful mentor, thank you and Merry Christmas! I hope that you have a great holiday season and that this year is better than last!
The team at [company name] wishes you peace, joy, and prosperity throughout the coming year. Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to the years to come.

Christmas Card Quotes

Sometimes, someone else says it best. If you’re looking for a meaningful or poetic touch, these Christmas quotes—from classic authors to modern voices—can add depth and charm to your holiday cards.

“Christmas is the day that holds all time together.” -Alexander Smith
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” -Charles Dickens
“Christmas is a stocking stuffed with sugary goodness.” -Mo Rocca
“Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To your friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.” -Oren Arnold
“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!” -How The Grinch Stole Christmas
“Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly Merry Christmas.” -Peg Bracken
“At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year.” -Thomas Tusser
“Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone else” -Charles Schulz
“Peace on earth will come to stay, when we live Christmas every day.” -Helen Steiner Rice
“At Christmas play and make good cheer, For Christmas comes but once a year.” -Thomas Tusser
“We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.” -Winston Churchill
“Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide-open heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world of the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years. Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart.” -George Mathew Adams
“A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; It makes no noise at all, But softly gives itself away; While quite unselfish, it grows small.” -Eva K. Logue
“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” -Norman Vincent Peale
“The best Christmas trees come very close to exceeding nature.” -Andy Rooney
“Keep calm and jingle on.” -Anonymous
“If kisses were snowflakes, I’d send you a blizzard.” -Anonymous
“My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?” -Bob Hope
“Bah, humbug!” -Charles Dickens
“The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value.” -Charles Dudley Warner
“Baby, it’s cold outside.” -Christmas Carol
“Fa La La La La, La La La La!” -Christmas Carol

Christmas Messages For Friends

Friends are the family you choose, and Christmas is the perfect time to remind them how much they mean to you. These heartfelt and cheerful Merry Christmas wishes for friends are great for celebrating friendship and making your holiday cards feel extra personal.

Wishing you my friends all the special blessings of Christmas and the New Year.
So grateful to have a friend like you at Christmas and all year long.
Friends make the holiday season fun and festive. I can’t wait to party and deck the halls with you this Christmas.
A friend like you is what makes Christmas special to me. Nothing makes me happier than sharing this season with you and I can’t wait for Christmas to get here.
Enjoy the magic this holiday season by listening to music and celebrating the occasion with the people that you care for most.
Where could I find a best friend like you? Not at the North Pole, that’s for sure. This year know that the best gift in my life is best friends like you. Merry Christmas.
For my special friend, I send holiday greeting wishes for fun-filled holiday season. I hope you will have lots of fun adventure and exciting moments on your holiday season this year. Have a happy holiday buddy.
Wishing you unlimited joy and infinite fun! Hope these holidays rejuvenate you, so that you return with full on energy and enthusiasm. Take Care. Happy holidays!
The best present one can hope for this year is to spend time together. I can’t wait to celebrate the holidays with you my friend!
Merry Christmas to the best friend in the world, the person that sees through my faults and loves me anyway. I’m wishing you joy and blessings this Christmas. I am so proud to call you a part of my family and I cherish the time I spend with you.

Christmas Messages For Family

Whether you’re near or far this season, sending love to family is a must. These warm and thoughtful messages are perfect for parents, siblings, grandparents, and anyone else who makes your holidays feel like home.

Having parents like you is the best Christmas gift there ever could be.
My favorite part about the holiday season are all of our Christmas memories together. I’m so thankful to have such loving people in my life. Here’s to many more Christmas memories and too many cookies.
You’re someone who helps me remember the true reason for the season, and I’m so grateful for you.
I’ll sure miss being together for Christmas this year. Eat a few extra pieces of pie for me, okay?! Sending my love to you all.
There is no greater gift this holiday season than spending time with family around the Christmas tree. Can’t wait to see you all Christmas Eve.
What can be better than opening presents, eating food and singing Christmas music? Doing all those things with family like you!
Christmas brings family and friends together; it helps us appreciate the love in our lives we can often take for granted. May the true meaning of the holiday season fill your heart and home with many blessings.
Wondrous Christmas nights always remind me that I’ll never be alone, because my beautiful family will never let it happen. And I promise you just the same. Merry Christmas!
Don’t worry about the gift for me on this Christmas. My dear sweet family in good health and great mood is everything I want to get. Because that’s what I need to be happy. Merry Christmas!
For me, Christmas and my family are inseparable. I can’t imagine this wonderful and magic holiday without love and care which we give to each other every Christmas night. It’s a real wonder. Merry Christmas!
May God’s blessing shine down upon you and your family this holiday season. Sending love from our family to yours.

Christmas Messages For Co-Worker

Whether you work side-by-side or remotely, a thoughtful holiday message can go a long way. Keep it light, friendly, and festive with greetings that bring a little cheer to the workplace.

An abundance of joy to you this holiday season. Happy Holidays to my co-worker!
You’re more than just a co-worker. You’re a friend. Happy Holidays.
I like seeing you at work– you add a bit of happiness to the place. Happy Holidays!
I definitely didn’t want this holiday season to pass by without me wishing you a Merry Christmas! P.S. I’m happy we’re on the same team!
Merry Christmas to my co-worker may your holiday season be as bright as you make our office.
Your support and companionship means a lot to me. Thanks for everything. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
You have been a good friend and a great companion to me. You have had a big role to play in my work so, thank you for your kind support. Keep smiling as you spread the cheer. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Working with you is a pleasure in life. There is so much to learn from you so thank you for being the best co-worker. Merry Christmas to you!
Christmas is just another day to say working with you has always been so wonderful. Merry Christmas!
You are a pillar of our success. Here is wishing you a Merry Christmas.

Christmas Messages For Boss

Writing to your boss during the holidays? Keep it professional, but don’t be afraid to show appreciation. These ideas help you strike the right tone—respectful, warm, and seasonally appropriate.

Working for you has made my time on the team a great experience. You have a gift for making people feel like they are important to our business. Merry Christmas!
You have inspired me, and that is one of the greatest gifts I will receive this Christmas season.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for being a great boss and a great source of inspiration and motivation.
Thank you for a fantastic year and for inspiring us through each and every obstacle. Merry Christmas!
Our team wouldn’t be the same without you! Merry Christmas!
Thank you for the successful year and the guidance in everything we do. We will meet again next year with a lot of new ideas and new energy.
Before we all leave for the Christmas vacation, thank you for being an advisor and a friend.
Thank you for the pleasant cooperation this year. We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Workloads come and go. Clients come and go. Monthly business targets come and go, but Christmas comes once in a year and a boss like you comes once in a lifetime. Merry Christmas to the best boss in the whole world.
Merry Christmas! We thank you for the pleasant cooperation and hope that you will give us in the New Year your confidence. Together we will master the challenges of the future.

Related Resources on Christmas Card Wording

By following these guidelines, you can create Christmas card messages that are both engaging and heartfelt. Tailor your greetings to each recipient to make your holiday cards memorable and meaningful. For more inspiration and to find the perfect card design, explore Shutterfly’s wide selection of custom Christmas cards.

Additional Resources: