What to Write in a Christmas Card

With the possible exception of birthday cards, there’s no greeting card more iconic than the humble Christmas card/holiday card, and with good reason. Christmas cards have been around almost as long as people have been sending cards. Greeting cards started in 13th century Europe with Valentine’s Day cards. By the 15th century, the practice had grown to include warm Christmas wishes around the holidays, and the rest is history. 

 At Simply Noted, we like to be inclusive of all holidays, but we recognize that each has its own stories and well-wishes associated with it. This article will focus on how to craft thoughtful Christmas wishes. Future articles may focus on other holidays, and we’ll undoubtedly provide guidance on “Happy Holidays” cards at some point.

GENERAL GUIDANCE ON CHRISTMAS WISHES

There’s no wrong way to write a Christmas card as long as you’re speaking from the heart. But sometimes, people may have difficulty expressing themselves with words. That’s why we’re providing some essential guidance here, along with specific phrases you can use to complement your Christmas wishes later in the article. Whether you're sending Christmas card messages, happy holidays cards, a Christmas gift, or general holiday cheer, we can help.

SEE ALSO:  Ways to Thank Someone For Offering Help

Know Your Audience

What you write in a Christmas card has a lot to do with who you’re sending it to. Family and close personal friends should get personalized messages intended to warm the cockles of their hearts on Christmas morning. You should include personal details that help demonstrate the depth of your relationship.   

On the other hand, cards for acquaintances can be just as casual but should carry a more generalized focus. You can elaborate on general holiday sentiments and leave out the heavy personalization. You can wish them a wonderful holiday season without laying it on too thick.   

Business cards should express general sentiments as well. The main difference here is the formality of the language. Business Christmas cards should be considerably less casual than cards sent by individuals to family and friends. These are professionals, and the language should reflect that. Merry Christmas wishes going out to clients should celebrate Christmas, but more so celebrate your business relationship.   

As a rule, don't mail a religious Christmas card to business contacts unless they're a religious organization or you know the recipient well and recognize their religious preference. A religious Christmas card message can feel heavy-handed if sent to the wrong person. We'll go into more detail on this point next.

Secular or Religious?

We mentioned not sending recipients very merry Christmas messages wrapped in religion. That's because you don't know how someone will react. However, in some ways, your choice to send secular or religious cards has more to do with your preferences than your recipients. If you prefer a more secular Christmas, then feel free to leave out religious language. Your recipients may be religious, but they’ll still appreciate the sentiment.  

If, however, your Christmas is primarily a religious celebration, then you should include whatever faithful Christmas wishes you prefer. Christmas cards are about expressing your thoughts and feelings around the holidays, so be true to yourself. If you're a religious organization, your Christmas card recipients will expect mentions of Jesus Christ, the newborn king, and a blessed Christmas, so don't be shy about including them.  

That said, you should also consider your recipient’s feelings. If you prefer a secular Christmas, but a family member holds deeply religious views, you might want to avoid taking an overly casual or humorous position in their card. This gets back to knowing your audience. You want to express yourself, but you also don’t want to offend. It would be a shame for your holiday wishes to be a source of friction instead of joy.

Don't Be Late!

Having the right words to express a hearty "Merry Christmas" doesn't matter if the sentiment doesn't arrive on time! Remember that mail takes longer to send during the holidays, so allow yourself an extra bit of time to get your Christmas cards in the mail. 

To give your recipients time to enjoy your best Christmas wishes, you should send your cards out no later than two to three weeks before Christmas day. A good rule of thumb is to have them in the mail before the end of the first week of December. That guarantees that you don't send them to early and they don't arrive too late.

Let Your Card Design Guide Your Sentiment

Your Christmas card's design can also give you some ideas about the sentiment you want to express. If you go with a religious theme, your Christmas message will naturally be more religious. If you choose a secular design, your Christmas wishes can be more general. 

 Your design might be a literal depiction of a Christmas scene. In that case you could write about what Christmas means to you. If the design is more symbolic you might focus on some element of the holiday season and then expound upon how it relates to your recipient.

Don’t Know What to Say? Use Someone Else’s Words!

Better writers than us have been waxing poetic about Christmas for centuries. Sometimes using a well-sourced quote can express your Christmas wishes better than anything you might cook up on your own. Don’t feel bad if that’s the path you take. Expressing yourself with others’ words is very common. Some quotes you might use include:

• “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill 
•  "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 
•  "Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas." – Calvin Coolidge
• "Christmas is the season when you buy toys for your children, and gifts for your wife, and books for yourself." – Neil Gaiman 
• "Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you're home." – Carol Burnett 
• "The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." – Burton Hillis 
• "Christmas is not a time to get presents, it's a time to give them." – Anonymous 
• "One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly." - Andy Rooney
  

There are many more quotes out there on Christmas, these are just a few to get you started. Feel free to find your favorite quote and use it in your Christmas cards this year.

If you prefer a religious holiday, Bible quotes are always a fashionable way to spread Christmas joy.

EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHRISTMAS WISHES

Below you’ll find a selection of Christmas wishes that you can use in your Christmas cards. Feel free to tweak them as needed to fit your situation better. If you're mailing Christmas gifts, consider accompanying them with warm holiday greeting cards. Your recipient will have a holly jolly Christmas and make Christmas memories that you'll be a part of.

SEE ALSO:   When You Should Send Out Cards

General Christmas Wishes

• “Merry Christmas! May your holiday be filled with warmth, laughter, and the love of the season.” 
•  “Wishing you and your family all the best this holiday season!” 
•  "We wish you a holiday season full of peace, joy, and happiness." 
•  “Friends and family are what the holidays are all about. We can’t wait to get the chance to see you all again!” 
•  “This Christmas, take the time to reconnect with your loved ones and find your spark of joy.” 
•  “I hope that the Christmas spirit fills your home and every corner of your heart.”
• “Warmest wishes for a very happy holiday season!” 
• “May your holidays be merry and bright!” 
• "Sending you lots of love during this special time." 
• “Wishing you all the happiness your holiday can hold.” 
• “May your holidays sparkle and your Christmas be merry and blessed!” 
• "Wishing you all the happiness your holiday can hold." 
• “Sending you lots of love during this special time." 
• “I hope that the Christmas spirit fills your home and every corner of your heart.” 
• "Have a relaxing holiday season full of wonderful memories on this festive season.

Religious Christmas Wishes

• “Jesus is the reason for the season, today, tomorrow, and for all eternity.” 
•  “May God’s love spread through your heart this Christmas so that you and your family may experience the joy of the holidays.” 
•  “Let the birth of our Savior act as a beacon in the dark, lighting your way to a warm and loving holiday season.” 
•  "May God bless and keep you this Christmas and throughout your life." 
•  “Wishing you a Christmas season that’s filled with the light of God’s love.”
• “May your holiday be merry and bright, and may you feel the love of the Lord in every moment.” 
• “Wishing you all the joys that the true spirit of Christmas can bring!” 
• "Warm wishes for a blessed holiday season!" 
• "Merry Christmas! May your holiday be filled with the true meaning of the season." 
• "I wish you a Merry Christmas! I hope that your holiday is filled with peace, joy, and family time. God bless you all!"

Funny Christmas Wishes

• “Here’s wishing your kids a wonderful Christmas and you Christmas bills you can afford!” 
•  “Unfortunately, there will be no Christmas this year. Apparently, someone told Santa that you’d been good, and he died laughing!” 
•  “You deserve an incredibly thoughtful, hand-crafted gift that speaks to the core of who you are as a person. I’m sure someone will get that for you. In the meantime, here’s a gift card!” 
•  “It’s Christmas again, the time of year where we all get each other thoughtful gifts so that they can be returned for something we really want. Merry Christmas!”
• “May your holiday be as joyous and stress-free as possible! Haha, just kidding! Get messy” 
• "I hope your Christmas is as fun as a root canal! What I mean is that I hope you laugh like you're using laughing gas!" 
• “Wishing you all the happiness your holiday can hold, and more! Ha ha ha.” 
• “May your holiday season be merry and bright, and may all of your Christmases be white.” 
• "I hope your holiday is as fun as a root canal! What I mean is that I hope you laugh like you're using laughing gas!" 
•  "Wishing you all the happiness your holiday can hold, and more!"

Christmas Carol Lyrics

Christmas quotes are one way to transfer creative control of your Christmas season cards to someone more qualified to write them. Another is to utilize the trove of Christmas sentiments found in the old standards — Christmas carols! 

 Wish them a wonderful Christmas season with whole stanzas or just meaningful phrases; take what you need to express a heartfelt message to your friends, extended family, or customers.

• "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go!" 
• "Oh, bring us a figgy pudding, and a cup of good cheer!" 
• "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh. Hey!" 
• "We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!" 
• "May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white." 
• "I heard the bells on Christmas Day, their old, familiar carols play. And wild and sweet, the words repeat, of peace on earth, goodwill to men!" 
• "Deck the hall with boughs of holly. 'Tis the season to be jolly!"
• "Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King!' Peace on earth, and mercy mild. God and sinners reconciled!" 
• "Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus lane. He's got a bag that's filled with toys, for boys and girls again!" 
• "It's the most wonderful time of the year! With the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you 'Be of good cheer.' It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

Business Christmas Wishes

Companies might consider sticking with more generic holiday messages for their Christmas mailings. Because you likely don’t know which holiday your recipient celebrates, it may be best to keep things neutral. If this resonates with you, substitute “Happy Holidays” for “Merry Christmas” below.

• “We appreciate your business and wish you all the best in the coming year. Merry Christmas!” 
•  “Wishing you and yours all the happiness the holiday season has to offer. Here’s to a successful 2022!”
• “You’re a hardworking member of the team, and we couldn’t do what we do without you. Merry Christmas, with thanks for all you do!” 
•  “Merry Christmas from everyone at [Your Company]. We wish that your holidays will be filled with happiness and joy through the new year.”
• “May your holiday season be merry and bright, and may all of your Christmases be white. From all of us at the office!” 
• “We hope that you have a wonderful holiday season! Wishing you all the best in the new year.” 
• "Wishing you a very happy holiday season!" 
• "Thank you for your support this year. Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season!" 
• "We hope you have a wonderful new year! May it be filled with happiness, joy, and all the things you love. Thanks for being a part of our team and we look forward to working with you in the coming year." 
•  "Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Seasons Greetings!" 
• "Wishing you a very happy holiday season and a prosperous new year!" 
• "May your holiday season be merry and bright! Thank you for all your support this year, we appreciate it more than you know. Wishing you all the best in the coming year." 
•  "Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a fantastic new year!"

SEE ALSO:  Christmas Cards for Business

AUTOMATE YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS

Sending out handwritten Christmas wishes is the purest expression of the venerable Christmas card, but it’s time-consuming. Instead, let Simply Noted do the work for you. All you have to do is upload your addresses and your Christmas message, and our automated handwriting machines will craft, address, stamp and mail authentic-feeling handwritten Christmas cards for everyone on your list. It’s the next best thing to doing it yourself — and if you don’t have time, it’s the best thing, hands down! 

 Individuals with long Christmas lists can get relief from the hours of handwriting required for their annual holiday card mailing. Businesses have the most to gain. Your or your employees can send hundreds or even thousands of handwritten "Merry Christmas" cards quickly, and without lifting a pen. 

 You can link your CMS or marketing software to our servers using the various integrations we offer. Then you can automate your handwritten mail as easily as you would an email. There's simply no better way to send great Christmas cards and wonderful Christmas filled sentiments than Simply Noted.