Christmas card messages: what to write in a Christmas card

Christmas cards get written in a rush, usually at the kitchen table with a list and a cold cup of tea, so the wording matters less than getting it done — but a line that sounds like you still beats "Merry Christmas, love from" for the twentieth time.

Below are Christmas card messages grouped by tone: funny ones for friends who'll laugh, warm ones for family, short ones for the batch you're posting in one go, and safe ones for colleagues and clients.

Pick a line, then add one specific detail — the year they've had, the new house, the dog, the fact they still owe you a pub trip. That's what turns a card into something worth keeping on the mantelpiece.

Funny Christmas card messages

• Merry Christmas. May your tin of chocolates last until Boxing Day, against all odds. Shop this card
• Wishing you a Christmas with good food, bad telly and absolutely no arguments about the thermostat. Shop this card
• Happy Christmas. I've hidden the sprouts, you're welcome.
• May your turkey be moist and your relatives leave at a reasonable hour.
• Merry Christmas. Remember, the diet starts whenever the tin of biscuits runs out. Shop this card
• Here's to eating cheese at eleven in the morning because nobody can stop us.
• Happy Christmas. Sorry in advance for whatever I say after the third glass.
• Wishing you the kind of Christmas where nobody mentions the washing up. Shop this card
• Merry Christmas from someone who wrapped this at midnight with the wrong tape. Shop this card
• May your Christmas be merry and your wifi hold out for the whole family. Shop this card

Heartfelt Christmas card messages

• Wishing you a peaceful, happy Christmas and a kinder year ahead. Shop this card
• Christmas isn't the same without you nearby. Thinking of you and sending love.
• Thank you for everything you've done this year. Have the loveliest Christmas.
• Merry Christmas to the people who make the whole year worth it. Shop this card
• Hoping your Christmas is full of warmth, good company and a proper rest.
• However this Christmas looks for you, know you're thought of and loved.
• Here's to a quiet Christmas, a full house and a year that treats you well.
• Sending you every good wish for Christmas and the new year.
• Wishing you a Christmas as generous as you've been to everyone else. Shop this card
• Merry Christmas. Thank you for being the one who always checks in. Shop this card

Short Christmas card messages

• Merry Christmas and a very happy new year. Shop this card
• Wishing you a warm and happy Christmas. Shop this card
• Have a wonderful Christmas, from all of us.
• Season's greetings and love from us both. Shop this card
• Merry Christmas — see you in the new year. Shop this card
• Happy Christmas, with love.
• Wishing you peace, rest and far too much cheese. Shop this card
• Nadolig Llawen and a very merry Christmas. Shop this card

Christmas messages for colleagues and clients

• Merry Christmas and thank you for a great year of working together. Shop this card
• Wishing you a restful Christmas break and a strong start to the new year. Shop this card
• Thank you for your support this year. Have a lovely Christmas.
• Season's greetings from all of us — we've enjoyed working with you. Shop this card
• Happy Christmas. Here's to another good year ahead.
• Wishing you and the team a well-earned rest over Christmas. Shop this card

Christmas messages for someone far away

• Christmas is a bit quieter without you here. Thinking of you today.
• Different postcode, same love. Merry Christmas. Shop this card
• Wishing you a wonderful Christmas until we can raise a glass in person. Shop this card
• Missing you at the table this year. Have a brilliant Christmas.
• Sending Christmas love across the miles — come home soon.

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Funny Christmas cards worth posting

Cheeky, warm and a bit rude if that's the mood.

How to write it so it lands

• Write the ones going abroad first — they need the earliest post.
• Add one detail from their year so the card doesn't read like a round robin.
• For work cards, sign with your name rather than just the company.

Where to shop next

• Christmas card messages hub
• Buy Christmas cards online
• All Christmas cards
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• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What do you write in a Christmas card?

A greeting, one personal line and a sign off is enough. "Merry Christmas — hope the new house makes this one special, love from us both" beats a generic wish because it names something only you'd know.

What can I write in a Christmas card for work?

Keep it warm but neutral: thank them for the year, wish them a restful break and look ahead to the new year. Season's greetings works well if you're not sure everyone celebrates Christmas.

When should Christmas cards be posted in the UK?

Aim to post second class by around the middle of December and first class in the week before Christmas, and earlier for international post. Ordering cards by the end of November gives you time to write them properly.