A Christmas card is one of the few things people still keep. It goes on the mantel, gets taped to the fridge, and sometimes ends up in a box of things too good to throw away. The good news: the message inside does not need to be long or clever. It needs to sound like you and say one true thing. Here is how to write one, plus messages you can use as they are.
The simple formula
Most great Christmas messages do three things. Open with the greeting, say one specific thing about the person or the year, and close with a wish for what comes next.
"Merry Christmas! This was the year you finally ran that half marathon, and I have not stopped bragging about you. Here is to an even bigger next year."
That is the whole trick. The middle sentence, the specific one, is what makes a card worth keeping.
Messages for family
"Merry Christmas to the people who knew me before I was interesting. Being home with you is still my favorite part of the year."
"Mom, thank you for every tradition you kept going, even the years it was hard. They are the reason Christmas feels like Christmas. Love you."
"To my sister: we are too old to fight over the good stocking now, but I would still win. Merry Christmas. I love you."
Messages for friends
"Merry Christmas to the friend who answers the phone at any hour. I hope your season is full of everything you give everyone else."
"We did not get nearly enough time together this year. Consider this card a promise to fix that in the new one. Merry Christmas!"
"Wishing you good food, a long nap, and at least one present you actually wanted. Merry Christmas, my friend."
Messages for someone far away
"Different zip codes, same traditions. I will be thinking of you when we put the star on the tree. Merry Christmas, and come home soon."
"This card is standing in for a very long hug. Merry Christmas. I miss you more than I say."
Messages for a hard season
Not everyone's December is merry, and a gentle card can mean more than a cheerful one. If someone is grieving, lonely, or having a rough year, keep it soft and honest.
"I know this Christmas looks different for you. You do not have to feel festive. I just wanted you to know you are loved and thought of today."
"No perfect holiday required. I hope you find a little peace this season, and I am here whenever you want company."
Funny Christmas card messages
"Merry Christmas! I got you this card instead of the thing you actually wanted. It is the thought that counts."
"May your coffee be strong, your relatives be brief, and your leftovers last until New Year's."
"Dear Santa, I can explain. Merry Christmas from your favorite bad influence."
Religious Christmas messages
"Wishing you the peace and joy of the Christ child this Christmas and all year long."
"May the light of this holy season fill your home and your heart. Merry Christmas."
How to sign it
Match the sign-off to the relationship. "Love" for family and close friends, "Warmly" or "With love" for everyone in between, and "Cheers" or "Best wishes" for neighbors and coworkers. Add a small P.S. if you want a card to feel personal fast: "P.S. The cookie recipe is still yours to share. I have been asking for three years."
When to send it
Aim to have cards arriving in the first two weeks of December, when people are home and paying attention to the mail. Cards from The Written Hug are mailed within 1 to 3 business days, with USPS delivery about 2 to 5 business days after, and you can write yours today and choose the date it mails.
Let us write it and mail it
Pick a design from our Christmas cards, from classic ones like Merry Christmas (Watercolor Cardinal) and Silent Night (Winter Fox) to funny ones like We Got a New Ornament. Every card comes with a message already written that you can keep, edit, or replace with your own. We write it with a real pen in real ink, add a real stamp, and mail it straight to their mailbox.