"Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays?"
Christmas is now celebrated around the world by a lot of people, regardless of their religion. For example, in the US, the majority of non-Christians celebrate it.
However, some people dislike being wished a "Merry Christmas," because of the holiday’s Christian origins. So if you don’t know how the recipient feels about Christmas, simply use "Happy Holidays."
Since December is packed with holidays, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years, "Happy Holidays" conveniently includes them all!
In more formal messages, you’ll also see people write "Seasons Greetings!"
"Happy New Year!"
On December 31st and January 1st, people will wish each other a "Happy New Year!"
However, people often combine the two big holidays into one greeting: "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"
How to Customize Basic Greetings
Now that you know everything you need to know about the basic greetings, let’s look at how to customize them.
Some adjectives you can use are:
• Beautiful
• Delightful
• Exciting
• Fabulous
• Fantastic
• Festive
• Joyful
• Lovely
• Magnificent
• Peaceful
• Wonderful
• Successful
Classic Greetings
In addition to the basic greetings above, there are some other classic holiday card expressions you can learn (and customize as you see fit).
"Wishing you …"
Often, in writing, the basic greetings start with an expression like "Wishing you …." For example:
• Wishing you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
• Wishing you a lovely holiday season!
• Wishing you a magical holiday season and a fantastic New Year!
"Best wishes"
Best wishes is also a good phrase to use in combination with holiday greetings. For example:
• Best wishes for the New Year!
• Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!
• Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season!
Instead of "Best wishes," you can also say the following:
• Warm wishes
• Warmest wishes
"Enjoy"
Finally, don’t forget you can tell people to enjoy the holidays!
• Enjoy your holidays!
• Enjoy your winter break! (if the recipient is a student)
• Hope you enjoy the holidays with your loved ones!
• Hope you enjoy this special time of year.
Mention the Family
Don’t forget that holiday greetings are often not just meant for one recipient, but for their whole family!
"To You and Your Family"
Most of the time, we write greetings to not just one person, but also their family. Of course, you can list out everyone (including pets) if you want.
But it’s more common to simply say "you and your family." For example, "Best wishes to you and your family this holiday season and in the coming year!"
"To You and Your Loved Ones"
Instead of "you and your family," it’s also common to say "to you and your loved ones." "Loved ones" includes anyone who matters to the recipient. For example, "Wishing you and your loved ones health and happiness this holiday season!"
"To You and Yours"
You can also just say "to you and yours," which has the same meaning as the previous two options. For example, "Happy holidays to you and yours!"
"End the year on a good note"
In English, you can "end" something "on a good note," so you can tell someone that you hope they end the year on a good note. This means that even if the rest of the year may not have been great (like the one behind us), you end it in a good way.
This expression is also used with different adjectives:
• Hope you end the year on a positive note!
• Hope 2022 ends on a cheerful note!
• May you end this year on a bright note!
"Filled with" or "Full of"
When you send someone a holiday greeting, it’s always nice to hope that their holidays are "filled with" or "full of" things they like. For example:
• Wishing you a holiday season filled with happiness and special moments!
• Hope your holidays are filled with laughter and champagne!
• Have a merry Christmas and a New Year full of delightful surprises!
This phrase is perfect for adding a personal touch. For example, you can wish someone "a New Year filled with bubble gum and bungee jumping" if those are the things they like.
In more formal messages, this phrase is often used with the structure "May … be ….":
• May your holidays be filled with happiness and special moments.
• May your holidays be full of joy and laughter!
"Here’s to a … "
This is an expression typically used when making a toast. You can also use it in your greeting messages to make it more bright and cheerful. For example:
• Here’s to a wonderful holiday season!
• Here’s to a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
• Here’s to ending the year on a merry note!
• Here’s to a great year ahead!
Sample Greeting Messages
Now it’s time to combine all the tips above.
Greeting Messages for Friends and Family
You might see something like the following in a card:
Dear Joe,
Merry Christmas and best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!
xoxo,
Your sister
You might see something like this in a text message:
Hey Matt, Just wanted to wish you a joyful Christmas and a fantastic New Year! Can’t wait to see you in the coming year!
In addition to holiday greetings, it’s common to remind the recipient to relax. For example:
Dear Rachel,
It’s been a busy year for you! Hope you can end the year on a more relaxing note.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Best wishes,
Brian
You can also use your greeting card to thank the recipient for something they’ve done for you this year.
Dear John,
Thanks again for always helping me in science class. Hope your holidays are filled with fun and the year ahead full of exciting science projects for the both of us!
All the best,
Luke
Professional Greeting Messages
Here’s a greeting message you can write to a business partner:
Dear Ben,
It’s been a pleasure doing business with you this year. Here’s to another year of successful collaboration!
Happy holidays to you and yours,
Jake
Here’s a greeting message you can write to a coworker:
Dear Grace,
Thanks to your passion and dedication, our team has reached new heights this past year. Enjoy the holidays and see you next year!
Warmly,
Karen
Here’s a message you can write to a client:
Dear Bill and the team at Texas Medical Instruments,
We were able to reach our milestones for this year thanks to your support. We look forward to continuing this partnership and we extend our sincerest wishes to your team.
Here’s to an even better year to come!
Pat and everyone from Synology
We hope this has given you an idea of how to write greeting messages this holiday season! If you need help writing them or simply want someone to check your messages, remember our tutors are here for you. Your first session is free, so you’ve got nothing to lose!
In the meantime, happy holidays and may the next year be a lot more cheerful than this one!
Spread the holiday spirit – messages for family and friends
This past year went by so fast, and now the holiday season is just around the corner – it's time to find the right gifts and words! Unlike gifts, kind words cost nothing, but their echoes are truly endless. Don't forget to send your sweetest and warmest wishes to your loved ones. It's the most wonderful time of the year!
• May this beautiful holiday season fill your heart with love, your home with joy, and your life with laughter. Happy Holidays! Wishing you and your family love, peace, and joy!
• Warmest wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year! May peace, love, and prosperity follow you always.
• Happy Holidays! Wishing you a wonderful and fun-filled holiday season! May the holiday spirit fill your home and heart.
• The holidays are a joyous time – indulge yourself in things that make you feel happy and stress-free. I am wishing you lots of love, happiness, and blessings!
• Wishing you a joyous and fun holiday season and a most prosperous New Year!
Be a great boss – bring joy with holiday business card messages
In business, building strong relationships is essential – nobody can do everything alone. The past year has been difficult for all of us, and the holiday season provides an excellent opportunity to express your gratitude to employees and clients alike. A well-written and designed Happy Holidays message is a great way to show appreciation for their dedication, work, and loyalty. Make this holiday season special for those who have supported your business throughout the year.
Messages for employees
• Our warmest wishes for a happy holiday season! We couldn't do it without you. In gratitude, your team members at [company name].
• Happy holiday! Thank you for your hard work! We are wishing you all that is merry and bright for the New Year ahead.
• Happy holiday season! Your dedication and commitment to the company shine through in all that you do, and we thank you for your hard work.
• Wishing you a happy holiday season! We couldn't do it without you. This year and always, you're a valued member of our team.
• Thank you for a great year! Our success is your success – please accept our warmest wishes for a truly wonderful holiday.
Messages for clients
• Happy holiday season! The team at [company name] wishes you peace, joy, and prosperity throughout the coming year. Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
• We wish you a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year! We look forward to working with you in the years to come. Happy holidays!
• Wishing you a happy holiday season from the team at [company name]. Cheers to the New Year!
• We're so glad to have you as a client and look forward to serving you in the future. Happy holidays! Best wishes from your friends at [company name].
• Wishing you a happy holiday season and great success in the year to come. Season's greetings from the very merry team at [company name].
Start it right – Happy New Year wishes for friends
The beginning of a new year is an excellent time to reevaluate your life, set goals, and work toward them. Be it switching to a healthier diet, exercising more, or starting a business (print on demand, perhaps?) – the new year brings 365 days full of opportunities.
Whatever it is you would like to achieve, always remember those who have helped you along the way, and wish them well.
• Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year! May the future be pleasant, the past a bright dream, and all the people in your life remain faithful and dear.
• You've truly been an inspiration to me. I'm so proud of everything you accomplished this year, and I can't wait to see what you do in 2022! Happy Holidays!
• I hope that you have a truly remarkable and blessed year ahead! Happy new year to you and your family!
• Happy Holidays! Cheers to the new year, and new beginnings!
• I'm genuinely grateful to have a friend like you! May you be blessed with a life full of health, wealth, happiness, and success!
Inspirational Christmas messages to warm your loved one's heart
Christmas is more than just a season, it's a feeling and a state of mind. It is, for many of us, the most wonderful and merry time of the year. The beauty of Christmas lies in our hearts, those blessed moments with family, and the warmth we feel toward each other. Capture the magic of the season – celebrate your friends and family with these Christmas messages!
• I don't want much for Christmas. I just want the person who is reading this to be loved, healthy, and happy. Merry Christmas!
• May the festive season bring hope and remind you to never give up on your dreams. Merry Christmas!
• As you go dashing through the busy holiday season, take time to appreciate the true blessings of Christmas – the moments with family, the companionship of friends, and the fellowship with all. Merry Christmas!
• I hope the love of your family keeps you warm on these cold winter nights. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
• To the most wonderful family in the world. I wish you a spectacular Christmas filled with love, joy, and happiness. Merry Christmas!
Make your loved ones smile – 'Happy Holidays' funny messages
Although the holiday season is a merry, bright, and fun time, it's easy to get carried away by holiday preparations and the hustle and bustle of it all. To save you the struggle of having to dig through the whole internet, we've compiled a short selection of amusing ‘Happy Holidays' greetings.
• I wish for your holidays to be filled with many big smiles and big celebrations – but hopefully not big credit card bills! Merry Christmas!
• I love the holidays. But sometimes I could use a little less "Jingle Bells" and a little more "Silent Night". Merry Christmas!
• Time to get into the holiday spirit... gin, vodka, whiskey...!
• They say the best Christmas gifts come from the heart… but cash and gift cards do wonders too! Happy Holidays!
• For some, the best part of Christmas happens… when it's all over! Wishing you a stress-free holiday season!
• I hope you love the present you told me to buy for you. Happy Holidays!
And, please, dear reader, don't forget to mail your packages early so the post office can lose them in time for Christmas! Just kidding – may all your gifts arrive on time! We hope they always do.
The best Christmas quotes for custom holiday cards
As the cold winter winds find their way toward us, there's no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than enjoying some beautiful sayings with a cup of warm beverage. If you're looking for inspiration for holiday cards, here are a few we've collected just for you. So, without further ado, let's take a look at some of the loveliest Christmas quotes.
• It's not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving. – Mother Theresa
• Whether we want them or not, the New Year will bring new challenges; whether we seize them or not, the New Year will bring new opportunities. – Michael Josephson
• What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. – Agnes M. Pahro
• At Christmas, all roads lead home. – Marjorie Holmes
• Christmas is a day of meaning and traditions, a special day spent in the warm circle of family and friends. – Margaret Thatcher
Create the perfect gift – try these 'Happy Holidays' images
Why is gift giving so hard? The answer is simple – we're most probably overthinking it and looking for the “perfect” present. Why not make it fun? If your loved ones – unless they're your children – wished for a particular thing, they'd probably get it themselves. Remember, it's the thought that counts, the heart you put into it, and the way you present it.
How do you say 'Happy Holidays' in French?
Parlez-vous Français? No? No problem! We got you. Check out these ways of wishing happy holidays in the language of love and romance. Your foreign friends will surely appreciate the effort, no matter the pronunciation… or spelling!
A common way to wish someone a Merry Christmas is “Joyeux Noël!“. However, if you'd like to greet someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas, you can go for a less risky one – “Bonnes fêtes de fin d'année!” This phrase covers Christmas, New Year, and it's the same as “Happy Holidays!”.
Learn how to say 'Happy Holidays' in Spanish!
The Spanish language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, and, as we continue improving our festive vocabulary, let's take a look at some simple – and heartfelt – ways to greet people during the holiday season in Spanish.
These are the greetings you'll hear most often, and they're pretty straightforward – you can't really go wrong.
• ¡Feliz Navidad! – Merry Christmas!
• ¡Felices Fiestas! – Happy Holidays!
And, if you'd like to add a little more love and affection to your message, you can write – “Con mucho cariño, te deseo una Feliz Navidad“. It simply means, “With all my love, I wish you a Merry Christmas!”
How to say 'Happy Holidays' in German?
Last but not least – Weißwurst, Pretzel, and Beer! Wait, no, that's Oktoberfest. Let's get back to the winter holidays. As December rolls in, the famous Christmas markets in Germany are a sight to behold. If you know any Germans, they're probably over there… or wishing they were there. To warm their hearts more than Glühwein, make sure to greet them with these.
• Ein gesegnetes Weihnachtsfest! – A blessed Christmas!
• Frohe Weihnachten! – Merry Christmas!
• Frohe Festtage! – Season's Greetings! / Happy Holidays!
Choose Printify – choose the best personalized gifts for holidays
It's been said that time is of the essence, and that's certainly true around the holidays. As our lives increasingly revolve around that daily hustle, we're here to help you along the way with anything you need.
Are you looking to create the perfect gift, design unique ornaments, add great holiday products to your online catalog, or perhaps you'd like to start your own business? With Printify – your little holiday helper – opportunities are endless! It's free, available to everyone, and incredibly easy to use.