What to Write in a Christmas Card: 50 Messages & Sayings + Tips
Jacqueline Eisenbraun
(Senior Editor)
There are many ways to send Christmas greetings. You can send a reflective message, a Christmas saying, a quote or even a poem. Bring joy to your loved ones with one of the many examples we have collected for you here.
Christmas greetings come in many different forms. They can be contemplative, affectionate, funny, or short and to the point. Send them in a Christmas card, as a text message, or even as a video or voice message.
Beautiful Christmas Card Messages for Family and Friends
Beautiful Christmas Card Messages for Family and Friends
Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year. There are presents to buy, trees to decorate, food to prepare and visits to plan.
If you would like to send wonderful Christmas greetings to your friends and family, we have just the right quotes and messages for you.
There are many ways to warmly deliver Merry Christmas wishes. For example, you can make a beautiful Christmas card yourself and add some personal words. Give free rein to your creativity during the most contemplative time of the year.
Ideas for the Christmas Card: “Merry Christmas” Quotes
Ideas for the Christmas Card: “Merry Christmas” Quotes
When you’re so busy, it’s not always easy to think of the right words to send in your Christmas cards. So why not borrow someone else’s?
The following Christmas quotes will create a reflective mood. Send them on WhatsApp, share them on social media, or write them in a Christmas card or gift tag.
- Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.
(Washington Irving, American short-story writer, 1783-1859) - Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.
(Hamilton Wright Mabie, American essayist, 1846-1916) - Merry Christmas! May your happiness be large and your bills be small.
(Unknown) - Happy alone is the soul that loves.
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, 1749-1832) - 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, 30th President of the United States, 1872-1933) - Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American poet, 1807-1882) - The holiday season is a perfect time to reflect on our blessings and seek out ways to make life better for those around us.
(Unknown) - Remembrance, like a candle, burns brightest at Christmastime.
(Charles Dickens, English writer, 1812-1870) - It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.
(William Thomas Ellis, U.S. Representative, 1845-1925)
Funny Christmas Card Messages for Family and Friends
Funny Christmas Card Messages for Family and Friends
If you’re writing a Christmas card to friends or family, a funny Christmas greeting is a great choice to bring a smile to your loved one’s face.
Of course, with funny sayings there is always the question of whether the recipient will really find it funny. So you should make sure you know the person you send this greeting to well. This way you can better judge their sense of humour and be sure that the joke will land.
- People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas.
(Unknown) - I wanted to send you something enchanting, exciting and beautiful for Christmas this year. But at the post office they told me I had better get out of the package, or else they would call security.
(Unknown) - There are still 364 days until Christmas, but there are already Christmas lights everywhere. Some people really overdo it…
(Unknown) - A long Christmas message just won’t do, so short and sweet it is for you – Merry Christmas!
(Unknown) - I’m dreaming of a white Christmas. But if the white runs out, I’ll drink the red.
(Unknown) - Christmas is a race to see which gives out first – your money or your feet.
(Unknown) - Christmas is the season when you buy this year’s gifts with next year’s money.
(Unknown) - A Christmas reminder: Don’t try to borrow any money from elves … they’re always a little short! Have a Merry Christmas!
(Unknown) - Is it just me, or does Santa look younger every year?
(Unknown)
Children in particular will enjoy a funny Christmas greeting more exciting than the usual message. But with children, you should be particularly careful that the theme of the message fits the recipient – a message about mulled wine isn’t likely to make a child laugh, after all.
Deep and Contemplative Christmas Card Sayings
Deep and Contemplative Christmas Card Sayings
In this section you will find deep Christmas greetings to make the other person think. They are contemplative and particularly appropriate at Christmas, as it is a time for peace, quiet and gratitude.
- The most valuable thing we can give to others is our time – time with loved ones is the true meaning of Christmas.
(Unknown) - …I do come home at Christmas. We all do, or we all should. We all come home, or ought to come home, for a short holiday – the longer, the better – from the great boarding-school, where we are forever working at our arithmetical slates, to take, and give a rest.
(Charles Dickens, English writer, 1812-1870) - It is not happy people who are thankful. It is thankful people who are happy.
(Unknown) - The way you spend Christmas is far more important than how much.
(Henry David Thoreau, American philosopher, 1817-1862) - The Joy of brightening other lives, bearing each other’s burdens, easing each other’s loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of the holidays.
(William Carey Jones, American politician, 1855-1927) - At Christmas we find out who really belongs to our family, regardless of kinship.
(Unknown) - It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.
(Vincent van Gogh, Dutch painter and graphic artist, 1853-1890) - Christmas is a tonic for our souls. It moves us to think of others rather than of ourselves. It directs our thoughts to giving.
(B.C. Forbes, Scottish-American journalist, 1880-1954)
Here you will find more deep quotes for any occasion.
Short “Merry Christmas” Messages to Write in a Card
Beautiful and Short “Merry Christmas” Messages to Write in a Card
Short quotes and messages aren’t just perfect for gift tags. They also work in a card or letter as a great addition to your own text.
The best thing about these messages is that they are never dull to read, and so stand out from the usual Christmas greetings. They are mostly short and succinct, and usually convey a jolly mood or a small piece of wisdom.
- May your hearth be warm, your holidays grand, and your heart held gently in the good Lord’s hand.
(Unknown) - May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve.
(Unknown) - The holiday season is a perfect time to reflect on our blessings and seek out ways to make life better for those around us.
(Unknown) - One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day.
(Unknown) - May the Spirit of the Holidays be with you throughout the New Year.
(Unknown) - Sending a smile across the miles for a wonderful Christmas!
(Unknown) - Candles spread their charming light.
And fairy lights sparkle in the dark.
The children’s eyes shine with delight,
And the Christmas spirit warms the heart.
(Unknown) - Outside it’s cold, but inside it’s cosy,
Cookies bake and cheeks are rosy.
Children laugh and candles shine,
Love is all around at Christmas time.
(Unknown) - This Christmas I wish you:
A family come together. Quarrels forgotten. A full pantry. Knocks on the door. Friendly faces. Presents piled up. Cards from all your loved ones. Nothing forgotten. That nothing catches fire. Laughs and silliness. Embraces and kisses. Happy memories.
With all my heart I wish you everything that Christmas is all about; a little warmth in the depths of winter, a light in the darkness.
(Unknown) - One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day.
(Unknown)
Not too serious and not too personal, these messages are suitable for sending in Christmas cards to friends, family, business partners, colleagues and acquaintances.
Christmas messages can evoke many different themes and feelings. You can express Christmas wishes that show your gratitude or say something about what Christmas means to you.
Short Christmas Card Quotes
Short Christmas Card Quotes
As quotes tend to be short, we recommend that you write them on one side of your Christmas card, and add your own message on the other side.
Christmas greetings of this type are more modern than poems, and easier to read. They are shorter and often written in more everyday language.
- The greatest events are not our loudest hours, but rather our most quiet.
(Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher, 1844-1900) - I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
(Charles Dickens, English writer, 1812-1870) - The only way to have a friend is to be one.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher, 1803-1882) - There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.
(Charles Dickens) - For it is in giving that we receive.
(Francis of Assisi, catholic saint, 1182-1226) - A good conscience is a continual Christmas.
(Benjamin Franklin, American politician, 1706-1790) - Christmas means fellowship, feasting, giving and receiving, a time of good cheer, home.
(William Jewett Tucker, American minister, 1839-1926) - A silent night, a star above, a blessed gift of hope and love. A blessed Christmas to you!
(Unknown) - It is a fine seasoning for joy to think of those we love.
(Molière, French actor, 1622-1673)
Grateful Christmas Messages for the Family
Grateful Christmas Messages for the Family
Many people find it hard to say thank you. Christmas is a good time to make up for that and bring joy to your fellow human beings.
If you can’t find the words to express your gratitude, you can focus on our grateful Christmas messages.
Here are a few examples that will help you say thank you. As most of these messages say thank you quite generally, you can change them a little to make them more specific and suitable for your situation.
- Love the giver more than the gift.
(Brigham Young, American politician, 1801-1877) - A Christmas angel comes to greet us
Bringing a wish that’s made for two:
That nothing ever comes between us,
Because no one knows me quite like you.
(Unknown) - We wish a Merry Christmas to all those whose friendship and goodwill we treasure, at this wonderful time of the year.
(Unknown) - There is no duty more obligatory than the repayment of kindness.
(Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator and statesman, 106-43 B.C.) - You lift me up, care for me and give me strength. Christmas is a time for giving and I want to give you my thanks: thank you for being such a good friend.
(Unknown) - Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.
(Voltaire, French writer, 1694-1778) - For my part, I am almost contented just now, and very thankful. Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.
(Charlotte Brontë, English writer, 1816-1855) - He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.
(Epictetus, Greek philosopher, c. 50-135 A.D.) - In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lutheran theologian, 1906-1645) - Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
(Marcel Proust, French author, 1871-1922)
"Merry Christmas” Greetings for Business Cards
"Merry Christmas” Greetings for Business Cards
At Christmas one likes to concentrate on the important things in life and switch off from the world of work as much as possible. Therefore, if you are sending Christmas greetings to a business partner, you should avoid advertising at all costs.
At this special time, relying on messages of humanity and goodwill will make a good impression. After all, you’ll get back to the world of work soon enough.
Make sure that your Christmas messages are professional, even though they are being sent on a personal level too. Stay on the safe side with polite and refined language. Of course, it’s still nice to include a personal note too.
So if you are sending a quote to a business partner or customer, be sure to add a few of your own words too. Here are some examples of quotes that are suitable for business relationships.
- The future depends on what you do today.
(Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948) - At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year.
(Thomas Tusser, English poet, 1524-1580) - Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.
(Henry Ford, American businessman, 1863-1947) - After all, it’s your relationships with other people that give value to life.
(Wilhelm von Humboldt, German linguist, 1767-1835) - If there is a belief that is capable of moving mountains, it is the belief in our own strength.
(Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, Moravian-Austrian writer, 1830-1916) - Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher, 1803-1882) - Be the change you wish to see in the world.
(Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948) - Wishing you a season full of light and laughter for you and your family.
(Unknown) - I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American poet, 1807-1882)
Short Christmas Poems to Write in a Card
Short Christmas Poems to Write in a Card
One wonderful quality of Christmas poems is that they have a contemplative effect. They invite reflection and create Christmas spirit in just a few words.
In contrast to other sayings and quotes, they are characterised by their classic language. This makes them particularly suitable for your more serious contacts. Nevertheless, even your grandparents will be delighted by a lovely poem, that they might even recognise from their youth.
- Hark! the herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King,
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinner reconcil’d.
Hark! the herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King.
(Charles Wesley, English poet, 1707-1788) - Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.
(Christina Rosetti, British poet, 1830-1894) - 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro’ the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse
(Clement Clarke Moore, American writer, 1779-1863) - But give me holly, bold and jolly,
Honest, prickly, shining holly;
Pluck me holly leaf and berry
For the day when I make merry.
(Christina Rosetti) - Before the ice is in the pools—
Before the skaters go,
Or any check at nightfall
Is tarnished by the snow—
Before the fields have finished,
Before the Christmas tree,
Wonder upon wonder
Will arrive to me!
(Emily Dickinson, American poet, 1830-1886)
What to Write in a Lovely Christmas Card
What to Write in a Lovely Christmas Card
Every year we desperately try to think of nice, Christmassy things to say to our fellow humans. If you have writer’s block and are struggling to compose a message, a Christmas poem, saying or quote can help.
These pre-prepared Christmas greetings are lovely to write in a card, or can give you inspiration if you would like to get creative. It’s not always easy to find the right words for the right people. That’s why we have prepared a selection for you here.
Think about the person you are sending your Christmas greetings to. What kind of person are they and what do they like? What makes your relationship special? This will help you find the right Christmas message for your Christmas card.
Interesting Facts about Christmas Cards
The first Christmas cards were printed in London in 1843 and showed a happy family celebrating. A few years beforehand, postage costs in England were standardised. This made sending postcards more affordable and so the custom of sending Christmas cards developed.
How to Write Personal Christmas Sayings for the Card
How to Write Personal Christmas Sayings for the Card
If you want to make a special effort, you can also write your own personal Christmas messages. Friends and family especially will be delighted by an individual or profound saying.
Take some Christmas words of all kinds, come up with a few rhymes, and find a quiet place to sit and think. Weaving in the names of your loved ones will make a Christmas message even more personal.
To make it a little easier, we have a few suggestions. Perhaps they will give you some ideas or remind you of your own Christmas celebrations and help you get started with your writing. Rhymes will help you find a direction, so try to think of a few rhymes in advance and try to build the rest of your message around them.
Nouns:
Christmas tree, snow, candlelight, Advent, Christmas time, silence, joy, quiet, family, food, presents, children, gingerbread, cookies, love, music, Santa Claus, Jesus, angel, church, sparkle, ice, mulled wine, tea, celebrations, tinsel, Christmas baubles, stars, reindeer, candy canes, cinnamon, oranges, chocolate, Christmas pudding, fir cone
Verbs:
Baking, laughing, listening, drinking, eating, celebrating, singing, sharing, lighting, giving, wishing, reflecting, enjoying, resting, relaxing, shining, snowing
Adjectives:
Christmassy, light, dark, warm, cold, blessed, holy, joyful, quiet, silent, loud, musical, delicious, sweet, loving, contemplative, scented, shiny, harmonious, jolly, beautiful, wonderful, relaxing, healthy, enchanting, magical, snow-covered
An example:
Presents under the Christmas tree,
What has Santa Claus brought for me?
We’re warm and cosy by the fire,
What more could our hearts desire?
Christmas with family brings such joy –
Much more than any shiny new toy!
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