What to Write in a Christmas Card

Most people don’t struggle with the wish. They struggle with the blank space underneath it. The good news is that almost every card message that people keep has the same five parts, in the same order, and none of them needs to be long. Once you know the shape, you can write a card in two minutes that sounds like you and no one else.

The five parts of a Christmas card message

1. The greeting

Use the name the person actually hears from you. “Dear Margaret” for the retired teacher next door, “Hi Mags” for your college roommate, “Dear Mom” (or “Dear Mum”) for your mother. For a household, name everyone you can: “Dear Tom, Ana and the boys” feels warmer than “Dear all”.

2. The wish

One sentence that wishes them well for Christmas, and perhaps the new year. This is the part you can keep the same across many cards. “Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and a happy new year” is plain, and plain is fine here; the personal part comes next.

3. The personal note

This is the line that makes the card worth opening. Mention one specific thing: something that happened this year, a memory you share, a thank-you, or something you’re looking forward to. It can be a single sentence. The more concrete it is, the better it lands: “Thank you for the soup when I had the flu” beats “Thank you for everything”.

4. The closing

A short line that leads into your name: “With love,” “Warm wishes,” “All the best,” “See you at Easter,” or something more your own. Match the warmth of the greeting. “Dearest Nan” followed by “Regards” reads oddly.

5. The signature

Sign the way the person knows you. If two people called Sarah might send them a card, add a surname or a clue: “Sarah (from choir)”. When signing for a family, write the names out rather than “the Smiths”, at least for people who don’t see you often.

Full examples, annotated

Five complete messages, with notes. Borrow the shape, not the words.

To an old friend

Dear Maggie, Wishing you a Christmas full of good food and better company. I found the photo of us on the ferry to the Aran Islands while I was clearing out a drawer last month, and I laughed out loud at your hat. Let’s not leave it another year before we meet. Love, as always, Ellen

The wish is one easy sentence. The personal note is a single, specific memory, which does more than “I miss you” could, and the last line turns it into a plan.

To parents

Dear Mom and Dad, Merry Christmas to you both. This was the year I finally understood how much work went into all those Christmases you made look easy: the stockings, the ham, the drive to Grandma’s in the snow. Thank you for every one of them. We’ll be with you on the 23rd, with the kids and far too many presents. All my love, Sarah

Writing to Britain or Ireland? “Dear Mum and Dad” (or “Mam and Dad” in much of Ireland). The thank-you works because it names real things, and the practical last line tells them when you’ll arrive.

To grandchildren far away

Dear Liam and Nora, Happy Christmas from Galway. The first frost came this morning, and Grandad says it’s a sign of snow, though he says that every year. We’ve hung the paper chains you made last summer in the front window, so they’re the first thing we see when we come in. Be good for your mammy, and send us a video of you opening the presents. Lots of love and hugs, Granny and Grandad

For children, a picture of home works better than a wish: the frost, Grandad’s forecast, their own paper chains in the window. It tells them they’re still part of the house even from another country. The request at the end gives them something to do in return.

To a neighbor

To the Kowalskis at number 14, Wishing you a merry Christmas and a peaceful new year. Thank you for taking in our parcels all autumn, and for the plate of cookies that appeared on our step in November. It didn’t last the evening. Warm wishes, Dan and Priya (number 16)

With neighbors (neighbours), a specific thank-you is the whole point. Signing with the house number is a small kindness on a street where people know faces better than names.

To a coworker

Hi Marcus, Merry Christmas, and I hope you get a proper break. Thanks for covering my shifts in October when I was out. It made a hard week much easier, and I haven’t forgotten it. All the best for the new year, Jo

Work cards should be warm but not personal in ways that would feel awkward if a colleague read them over his shoulder. A specific thank-you for something work-related is ideal. If you don’t know his beliefs, “Happy holidays” or “Season’s greetings” can replace “Merry Christmas”.

The examples above were all written for a paper card or an e-card alike. If you’re sending something like our Christmas Cottage card, where the painted scene already sets the mood, three or four lines are usually all the message needs.

Common mistakes

Only the wish, no note. “Merry Christmas, love from Jen” is better than nothing, but it’s the personal line people remember. Even half a sentence helps.

The whole year in a small card. If you have a lot of news, write a letter and tuck it inside. The card itself should be readable in a few seconds.

Jokes that need explaining. A card is often read aloud or passed around. Inside jokes that might confuse or embarrass someone are better saved for a phone call.

Assuming beliefs. Religious wishes are lovely for people who share them. For anyone else, a warm seasonal wish avoids an awkward moment.

Wrong names or forgotten ones. Check the spelling, and remember new partners, new babies and, yes, the dog. Leaving someone out of a household greeting is noticed.

Long apologies. “Sorry this is late” is fine. A paragraph about why it’s late shifts the card from them to you.

Promises you won’t keep. “We must get together soon” every year, with no plan, starts to sound hollow. Name a month, or leave it out.

Ideas of what to write when the page stays blank

If you’re stuck on the personal note, pick one of these and write a single sentence:

1. One thing that happened to them this year that you noticed.
2. One thing they did for you, however small.
3. A memory you share, as specific as you can make it.
4. What it looks like where you are right now: the weather, the tree, the view from the window.
5. Something you’re looking forward to doing with them.

Anything from that list, written plainly, will be better than a borrowed line. If you’d still like a starting point, our collection of card messages sorted by tone has nearly a hundred to adapt.

What to write in a Christmas card in the UK and Ireland

The method is the same on both sides of the Atlantic, but a few habits differ. “Happy Christmas” is as common as “Merry Christmas” in Britain and Ireland. “Mum” replaces “Mom”, and in Ireland many people write “Mam”. Kisses after the signature (“Love, Kate x”) are common among friends and family in Britain and Ireland, less so in the United States. And “All the best” or “Best wishes” works as a friendly closing in all three countries.

Special cases

When someone is grieving

Leave out “merry”. Acknowledge them, and if it feels right, the person they’ve lost, by name. Offer something concrete, and make it clear they don’t need to reply.

Dear Helen, We’re thinking of you this Christmas and remembering Tom, especially his laugh at the carol service every year. There’s no need to reply. We’ll call in January, and we’re here whenever you’d like company. With love, Ruth and David

Naming Tom, and a real memory of him, tells Helen he is remembered too. The offer of a call is specific enough to be believed, and the “no need to reply” takes away any obligation.

When family is far away

For someone living abroad, the most welcome card is one that brings a piece of home with it. Describe the house, the weather, a tradition being kept in their absence.

Dear Patrick, Happy Christmas from all of us at home. Mam has hung your stocking on the mantel as usual, even though you’re thirty-four and living in Boston. We’ll ring you on Christmas morning, your time. Love from all of us, Siobhán, Dad and Mam

When it’s for a coworker you don’t know well

Keep to the wish and a line about working together. Something as simple as this is enough:

Wishing you a restful holiday season and a good start to the new year. It’s been good to work with you.

When you’ve lost touch

Don’t pretend nothing has changed, and don’t apologize at length. A little honesty and a light touch go a long way:

It’s been far too long, and that’s on me. I still think of you every time I hear that song from the office party. Merry Christmas, and I’d love to catch up in January.

More messages to adapt

Once you have the shape, a good line to start from makes it quicker. Our message pages are organized to help:

• Short lines that fit any card, for long lists and small spaces.
• Messages for parents, grandparents and the whole family.
• Messages for friends, old and new, and for neighbors.

Questions

Do I need to write something personal in every card?

Not in every card, but in as many as you can. For a long list, keep the wish the same and add one personal line to the cards of people you’re closest to.

Should I write in the left or the right side of the card?

The right-hand side is the usual place for the message. Use the left for a longer note if you need more room, or leave it blank.

Who goes first when signing for a couple or a family?

There’s no fixed rule. Many people put the writer’s name first, or the name of whoever the recipient knows best. Children’s names usually follow the adults’.

Is it fine to type a message in an e-card?

Yes. What matters is that the words are yours. An e-card message can be just as personal as a handwritten one, and it doesn’t depend on the mail.