Christmas Card Writing | 60+ Warm, Personal Messages

While receiving warm, heartfelt Christmas cards from friends and family can be a highlight of the season, writing these messages can make you feel like a total Grinch. Keep reading to learn exactly what you should write, take inspiration from our comprehensive list of ideas, and guarantee your spot on the nice list!

If you could use some extra help drafting the perfect Christmas card messages, try QuillBot’s free AI writer. Just describe what you’re looking for and “wrap up” your writing in record time!

What to include in a Christmas card

What you write in a Christmas card will depend on who you’re sending it to. However, you can follow this general formula when writing a message:

1. Wish the recipient a happy holiday season.
2. Add in a personal detail.
3. End with a reference to the new year.

This structure works in almost every situation, and you can customize it as needed! For example, see the two examples below that show how it can be tailored to unique situations.

If building out your own messages feels like too much during the busy holiday season, avoid the brain freeze with the merry and bright ideas below.

Classic Christmas cards

Christmas is all about tradition, and these classic messages have a timeless quality that’s perfect for the holiday season.

• Wishing you and your family peace, love, and joy this Christmas.
• Merry Christmas and a happy New Year from the [last name]s.
• From our home to yours, we wish you a festive holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
• Happy Holidays! We hope your Christmas is filled with all things merry and bright.
• Sending you warmth and love this Christmas, and good tidings for a happy New Year!

Short Christmas cards

Sometimes sweet and simple is the way to go. These brief messages are perfect for holiday postcards and gift tags.

• Have a holly jolly Christmas!
• Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!
• Festive love from our family to yours!
• Warm holiday wishes.
• Joy to you and yours.

Non-religious holiday messages

There are lots of ways to spread holiday cheer to friends and loved ones who don’t celebrate Christmas.

• We hope your winter holidays are filled with warmth and love.
• Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and health and happiness in the New Year.
• Peace and love this holiday season!
• Season’s greetings and best wishes for the New Year!
• Wishing you the best this season and always!

Cute Christmas cards

Yule love these sweet messages for your Christmas cards!

• Snow much love from our family to yours!
• Wishing you a Christmas filled with warm hugs and hot cocoa!
• We hope your Christmas is sweet as a sugar cookie
• Sending you a cup of cheer and a pocketful of snowflakes.
• ‘Tis the season to be jolly—Merry Christmas!

Christmas cards for friends

Christmas is a wonderful excuse to send some love to your favorite people. Use these messages for some inspiration to spread some Christmas cheer!

• Merry Christmas! We can’t wait for many more coffee dates and games nights in the New Year.
• Your friendship is the best gift I could ask for—Merry Christmas!
• Cheers to a year filled with love, laughter, and memories. Let’s make the New Year one to remember.
• Feeling especially grateful for your friendship this holiday season. There’s no one I’d rather ring in the New Year with!
• Do you want to build a snowman?

Christmas cards for family

Holidays are defined by who we share them with. Let your loved ones know how much you care with these heartfelt messages.

• We’re so grateful to have you to celebrate Christmas with!
• To the people who make every holiday magical—Merry Christmas!
• Merry Christmas! Cheers to another year of putting the “fun” in dysfunctional.
• So lucky to share life (and leftovers!) with you. Warmest holiday wishes to our favorite people.
• Having you to call family is the greatest gift of all.

Christmas cards for loved ones who live far away

Sometimes it’s not possible to be with your people over the holidays, but a warm message is a great way to celebrate together from afar.

• Merry Christmas from [city]!
• Cheers to many more video calls that feel like hugs and messages that make us smile in the New Year.
• Sending a long-distance hug and lots of love this holiday season. Can’t wait to see you soon!
• Even though we can’t be together, we’re celebrating with you in spirit.
• We hope Santa finds you (and spoils you rotten!) in [city]

Christmas cards for your partner

Christmas is the perfect time to cozy up with your special someone—send love with these playful, romantic messages.

• Meet me under the mistletoe!
• You’re the marshmallow to my hot chocolate
• Every day with you is a gift!
• I love you from your head to your mistletoe.
• Fa-la-la-la love you—Merry Christmas!

Funny Christmas cards

You’ll have them laughing all the way with these silly Christmas card messages.

• Wishing you a holiday season filled with big smiles and small credit card bills.
• Have your elf a merry little Christmas!
• Merry Christmas! May your eggnog be spiked enough to make the season bright.
• This was our best shot at a normal family photo—Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
• Cheers to the most wine-derful time of the year

Pet-themed Christmas cards

Furry friends are often the stars of the show during the holidays. Pair these messages with photos of your pets to spread some extra cheer this Christmas.

• Wishing you a paws-itively wonderful Christmas!
• Merry Christmas from our very own Santa Claws
• Hope your holidays are purr-fectly wonderful.
• We woof you a merry Christmas!
• Unleashing a whole lot of joy this holiday season.

Christmas cards for new parents/baby

There’s something especially magical about seeing the holidays through a brand-new pair of eyes. These messages are perfect for those welcoming a new family member into the world.

• The best gifts come in small packages! Holiday wishes and love to the newest [last name].
• Silent Night? Maybe not this year! Wishing you a cozy, love-filled, and hopefully not too sleep-deprived first Christmas.
• We’ll remind Santa to update his address book for [baby’s] first Christmas!
• Merry Christmas to Santa’s newest little helper!
• Wishing you a holiday season filled with firsts and forever memories.

Christmas cards for hard times

Life doesn’t go on pause during Christmas. These heartfelt messages offer love and support to anyone dealing with hardship or loss over the holidays.

• Sending you extra love and peace this Christmas. You’re in our hearts now and always.
• Wishing you the warmth of friends and family and the comfort of happy memories this holiday season.
• Our love and thoughts are with you this Christmas, and we wish you a New Year filled with peace and hope.
• Thinking of you and wishing you moments of peace and comfort this holiday season.
• Sending you extra love as you navigate your first Christmas without [name]. We’re so grateful for all the holiday memories we shared together. We will always be here for you.

Frequently asked questions about Christmas card writing

Is it Happy Christmas Eve or Merry Christmas Eve?

People don’t typically say Happy Christmas Eve or Merry Christmas Eve.

In the UK, people say “Happy Christmas” or “Merry Christmas” on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and sometimes during the earlier part of December.

In the US, Australia, and Canada, people usually say “Merry Christmas” on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or other days in December.

Only say “Happy Christmas” or “Merry Christmas” when you know that your audience observes Christmas. Happy Holidays is an inclusive greeting that refers to all of the religious and cultural days in December.

QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can help you find synonyms for “Happy Christmas,” “Merry Christmas,” and other holiday greetings.

What’s the difference between Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays?

“Merry Christmas” refers to Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, but Happy Holidays refers to all of the religious and cultural days in November and December.

Only say “Merry Christmas” when you’re certain that your audience observes Christmas.

When you don’t know which religious days your audience observes or when your audience observes multiple winter holidays, say “Happy Holidays.”

QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can help you with word choices when you’re writing Merry Christmas wishes or Happy Holidays messages.

What are some cute merry Christmas wishes?

Some cute merry Christmas wishes are:

• Sending you Christmas cheer!
• You make every day feel like Christmas!
• Let’s eat, drink, and be merry!
• Merry Christmas! May your heart be light!
• Sleigh all day!
• Be merry and shine bright!
• Have a holly jolly Christmas!
• Sending you “snow” much love this Christmas!

These would be appropriate for Happy Holidays messages to friends and family.

QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can help you vary your wording for all your messages.

How do you say Christmas in Spanish?

“Christmas” in Spanish is “Navidad.”

For example, you could say “Voy a Nueva York esta Navidad” (I’m going to New York this Christmas).

To say Merry Christmas in Spanish, say “Feliz Navidad.”

Use a QuillBot Grammar Check to gain confidence when writing in Spanish.