Christmas cards are one of the few times a year people actually sit down and read something handwritten. That makes them worth a little thought. You don't need a poem. You need a message that sounds like you and fits the person opening it. Here are more than 50 ideas to start from.
Short and simple
When you're writing twenty cards in one evening, short is perfectly fine:
- Merry Christmas and a peaceful new year.
- Wishing you warmth, rest and good company this season.
- Thinking of you this Christmas.
- Happy holidays from our home to yours.
- May your days be cosy and your evenings long.
- Season's greetings and all the best for the year ahead.
- Enjoy every minute of the holidays.
- Here's to good food, good people and a little bit of snow.
Warm messages for family and close friends
- Christmas never really starts until we're together. Can't wait to see you.
- This year reminded me how lucky I am to have you. Merry Christmas.
- Thank you for all the small kindnesses this year. They added up to something big.
- Wishing you a Christmas as generous and warm as you are.
- Whatever the new year brings, I'm glad we're facing it side by side.
- Of all the gifts this year, our friendship is still my favourite.
- May this season give you the rest you've been too busy to take.
- Home is wherever we're laughing too loudly at the dinner table. Merry Christmas.
Funny Christmas messages
- I hope Santa brings you everything you deserve. I've put in a good word, mostly.
- Merry Christmas! Calories don't count until January.
- Let's be honest: you're the reason the naughty list exists. Merry Christmas anyway.
- Eat, drink and be merry. Then nap. Then repeat.
- I was going to send you something meaningful, but I ate the chocolate first.
- Wishing you a Christmas with zero tangled lights and only mildly awkward family conversations.
- Remember: it's not hoarding if it's wrapping paper you'll "use next year".
- This card is your official permission to wear pyjamas for three days straight.
For colleagues and clients
- Thank you for a great year of working together. Wishing you a restful holiday.
- Season's greetings, and here's to another successful year.
- Enjoy a well-deserved break. See you in the new year, refreshed and caffeinated.
- It's been a pleasure. Happy holidays to you and your loved ones.
- May your out-of-office be long and your inbox be short.
- Thank you for your trust and support this year. Merry Christmas.
When someone is missing a loved one
For many people, the first Christmas after a loss is the hardest one. A card can't fix that, but it can say "I see you". Keep it gentle and don't try to explain the grief away:
- Thinking of you and of [name] this Christmas. Sending you so much love.
- I know this season feels different this year. I'm here, whenever you need me.
- May the memories of [name] bring you moments of warmth among the hard days.
- There's no right way to do Christmas this year. Be gentle with yourself.
- Lighting a candle for [name] tonight. You're not alone in missing them.
- Wishing you quiet comfort, and people around you who understand.
If writing feels too heavy, our sympathy and remembrance cards include story cards with a complete, gentle letter already printed inside.
For people who like their Christmas a little darker
Not everyone wants reindeer and glitter. Long before tinsel, midwinter was a season of dark nights, wild spirits and strange visitors. A few winter legends make wonderful card themes:
- Krampus is the horned companion of Saint Nicholas in Alpine folklore. While Nicholas rewards good children, Krampus comes for the naughty ones, traditionally on the night of 5 December.
- The Yule Cat of Icelandic folklore prowls the snowy countryside at Christmas and is said to threaten anyone who hasn't received new clothes before the holiday.
- Yule itself was a midwinter festival long before it became another word for Christmas, often linked to the Norse god Odin and to fires lit against the longest nights.
- Victorian ghost stories were once a Christmas Eve tradition: families gathered by the fire to tell tales of hauntings.
Messages that pair nicely with a gothic or folklore Christmas card:
- Krampus checked his list. You're safe. For now.
- May the Yule Cat find you well dressed and well fed.
- Wishing you a dark, cosy and slightly haunted Christmas.
- Light a candle, pour something red and let the long night be kind to you.
- The longest night is behind us. From here on, the light returns.
- Season's greetings from the shadows. We saved you a seat by the fire.
- Even monsters come home for Christmas.
- Merry Christmas from someone who prefers candlelight to fairy lights.
Practical tips for this year's cards
- Make a list first. Write names and one personal detail per person before you start writing.
- Batch the easy ones. Colleagues and neighbours can share a message; save your energy for the cards that matter most.
- Post early. Post gets busy in December, especially for international cards. Earlier is always safer.
- Mix it up. Different designs for different people make writing more fun, and nobody compares notes.
Short on time? Choose a set
If you need several cards at once, our card sets bundle five or six different Christmas designs at a lower price per card. The story card sets, like the Gothic Christmas set or the Heartwarming Christmas set, come with a complete story printed inside every card, so you only need to add a name.