"Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays?"
Christmas is now celebrated around the world by a lot of people, regardless of their religion. For example, in the US, the majority of non-Christians celebrate it.
However, some people dislike being wished a "Merry Christmas," because of the holiday’s Christian origins. So if you don’t know how the recipient feels about Christmas, simply use "Happy Holidays."
Since December is packed with holidays, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years, "Happy Holidays" conveniently includes them all!
In more formal messages, you’ll also see people write "Seasons Greetings!"
"Happy New Year!"
On December 31st and January 1st, people will wish each other a "Happy New Year!"
However, people often combine the two big holidays into one greeting: "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"
How to Customize Basic Greetings
Now that you know everything you need to know about the basic greetings, let’s look at how to customize them.
Some adjectives you can use are:
• Beautiful
• Delightful
• Exciting
• Fabulous
• Fantastic
• Festive
• Joyful
• Lovely
• Magnificent
• Peaceful
• Wonderful
• Successful
Classic Greetings
In addition to the basic greetings above, there are some other classic holiday card expressions you can learn (and customize as you see fit).
"Wishing you …"
Often, in writing, the basic greetings start with an expression like "Wishing you …." For example:
• Wishing you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
• Wishing you a lovely holiday season!
• Wishing you a magical holiday season and a fantastic New Year!
"Best wishes"
Best wishes is also a good phrase to use in combination with holiday greetings. For example:
• Best wishes for the New Year!
• Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!
• Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season!
Instead of "Best wishes," you can also say the following:
• Warm wishes
• Warmest wishes
"Enjoy"
Finally, don’t forget you can tell people to enjoy the holidays!
• Enjoy your holidays!
• Enjoy your winter break! (if the recipient is a student)
• Hope you enjoy the holidays with your loved ones!
• Hope you enjoy this special time of year.
Mention the Family
Don’t forget that holiday greetings are often not just meant for one recipient, but for their whole family!
"To You and Your Family"
Most of the time, we write greetings to not just one person, but also their family. Of course, you can list out everyone (including pets) if you want.
But it’s more common to simply say "you and your family." For example, "Best wishes to you and your family this holiday season and in the coming year!"
"To You and Your Loved Ones"
Instead of "you and your family," it’s also common to say "to you and your loved ones." "Loved ones" includes anyone who matters to the recipient. For example, "Wishing you and your loved ones health and happiness this holiday season!"
"To You and Yours"
You can also just say "to you and yours," which has the same meaning as the previous two options. For example, "Happy holidays to you and yours!"
"End the year on a good note"
In English, you can "end" something "on a good note," so you can tell someone that you hope they end the year on a good note. This means that even if the rest of the year may not have been great (like the one behind us), you end it in a good way.
This expression is also used with different adjectives:
• Hope you end the year on a positive note!
• Hope 2022 ends on a cheerful note!
• May you end this year on a bright note!
"Filled with" or "Full of"
When you send someone a holiday greeting, it’s always nice to hope that their holidays are "filled with" or "full of" things they like. For example:
• Wishing you a holiday season filled with happiness and special moments!
• Hope your holidays are filled with laughter and champagne!
• Have a merry Christmas and a New Year full of delightful surprises!
This phrase is perfect for adding a personal touch. For example, you can wish someone "a New Year filled with bubble gum and bungee jumping" if those are the things they like.
In more formal messages, this phrase is often used with the structure "May … be ….":
• May your holidays be filled with happiness and special moments.
• May your holidays be full of joy and laughter!
"Here’s to a … "
This is an expression typically used when making a toast. You can also use it in your greeting messages to make it more bright and cheerful. For example:
• Here’s to a wonderful holiday season!
• Here’s to a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
• Here’s to ending the year on a merry note!
• Here’s to a great year ahead!
Sample Greeting Messages
Now it’s time to combine all the tips above.
Greeting Messages for Friends and Family
You might see something like the following in a card:
Dear Joe,
Merry Christmas and best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!
xoxo,
Your sister
You might see something like this in a text message:
Hey Matt, Just wanted to wish you a joyful Christmas and a fantastic New Year! Can’t wait to see you in the coming year!
In addition to holiday greetings, it’s common to remind the recipient to relax. For example:
Dear Rachel,
It’s been a busy year for you! Hope you can end the year on a more relaxing note.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Best wishes,
Brian
You can also use your greeting card to thank the recipient for something they’ve done for you this year.
Dear John,
Thanks again for always helping me in science class. Hope your holidays are filled with fun and the year ahead full of exciting science projects for the both of us!
All the best,
Luke
Professional Greeting Messages
Here’s a greeting message you can write to a business partner:
Dear Ben,
It’s been a pleasure doing business with you this year. Here’s to another year of successful collaboration!
Happy holidays to you and yours,
Jake
Here’s a greeting message you can write to a coworker:
Dear Grace,
Thanks to your passion and dedication, our team has reached new heights this past year. Enjoy the holidays and see you next year!
Warmly,
Karen
Here’s a message you can write to a client:
Dear Bill and the team at Texas Medical Instruments,
We were able to reach our milestones for this year thanks to your support. We look forward to continuing this partnership and we extend our sincerest wishes to your team.
Here’s to an even better year to come!
Pat and everyone from Synology
We hope this has given you an idea of how to write greeting messages this holiday season! If you need help writing them or simply want someone to check your messages, remember our tutors are here for you. Your first session is free, so you’ve got nothing to lose!
In the meantime, happy holidays and may the next year be a lot more cheerful than this one!
How to Say Merry Christmas in Italian
The most common and direct way to say Merry Christmas in Italian is Buon Natale
Ti auguro Buon Natale, I wish you a Merry Christmas.
However, there are other expressions that are used as well.
Buone Feste corresponds to the English Happy Holidays and implies best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. You could also say, tanti auguri di buone feste, best wishes for a happy holiday season.
Slightly more formal, used in writing rather than in person: Auguri di un Natale sereno (best wishes for a peaceful Christmas). For example, if you’re sending a card to someone in Italy, you could write: "Auguro a te (or ‘lei’ if you don’t know the person well) e alla tua (‘sua’ if using lei) famiglia un sereno Natale e un felice anno nuovo (I wish you and your family a peaceful Christmas and a happy New Year).
If you want to be fancy and try a slightly longer phrase (why not?!), you could say: Ti auguro un Natale pieno di amore, pace e gioia sincera, My best wishes for a Christmas filled with love, peace and sincere joy.
So now you have a few options for how to say Merry Christmas in Italian, but what about the ‘Happy New Year’ part?
Let’s take a look.
How to Say Happy New Year in Italian
Happy New Year is Felice Anno Nuovo, as in Ti auguro un felice anno nuovo (I wish you a Happy New Year). You use ‘ti’ if you’re talking/writing to one person you know well, ‘le’ if you’re writing to one person you don’t know very well or have a formal relationship with, and ‘vi’ if you’re writing to a group of people, say a family. Le auguro un felice anno nuovo, vi auguro un felice anno nuovo.
You could also use related expressions, such as, Auguri per un felice 2022 – Best wishes for a happy 2022, or Auguri di buon anno, best wishes for a good new year.
How to Write a Christmas Card in Italian
Now let’s put together what we’ve seen so far to write a sample Christmas card so you can wish your loved ones Merry Christmas in Italian.
Caro/a/i/e (Dear – o for male singular, a for female singular, i for plural, e for female plural) – name -,
Ti/Vi (ti for singular, vi for plural) auguro Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo!
Con affetto (with love),
-Signature
The version above is the simplest. If you want something fancier, here’s another example.
Carissimo/i ____,
I miei migliori auguri per un Natale pieno di amore e pace, e per tanta gioia, serenità e salute nell’anno nuovo (My very best wishes for a Christmas filled with love and peace and for a New Year filled with joy, serenity and health).
Useful Italian Vocabulary for the Holidays
Now that you’ve learned how to say Merry Christmas in Italian, see below a list of useful words related to the holidays – le feste:
Vigilia di Natale – December 24, Christmas Eve
Santo Stefano – December 26, a national holiday in Italy
San Silvestro – New Year’s Eve
Capodanno o primo dell’anno – New Year’s Day; in Italian, we also use Capodanno to refer to the New Year’s Eve festivities, as in the most common asked question this time of the year: cosa farai a Capodanno? What are you doing on New Year’s Eve?
Epifania – Epiphany, January 6. And of course, Befana, the good witch who arrives on January 6 with sweet treats for children who behaved well, and coal for those who misbehaved. It’s a common joke for female friends in Italy to send each other messages on the day of Epifania to wish to one another, Buona Befana!
Now, without looking at your notes, how do you say Merry Christmas in Italian?
Buon Natale, cari lettori!
Happy Holiday wishes and Messages
Greet your family and friends a warm Happy Holidays this coming yuletide season. Be sure to spread the happiness and joy that the holiday brings by greeting them. But if you are clueless as to what to say, you might want to take a look at our collection of holiday greetings below.
• Chilling air, warm cup of coffee, cozy blanket and cuddles full of love! The best time of the year is here, Happy Holidays my dear
• May you have the best holidays ever and may you get to spend a lot of time with the ones you love. Happy holidays
• The most magical time of the year is here, Happy holidays my dear
• Isn’t it the most blessed and joyful time of year? I really hope you have great holidays
• Just a simple message filled with lots of warmth and love, to wish you Happy Holidays!
Holiday Greetings for Family and Friends
• No rhyming text, no songs to sing, just a little heart of mine that wishes you happy holidays
• I pray to Lord to bless you with endless moments of joy and happiness this holiday season. Happy holidays
• I really wish you were here with me to enjoy this holiday season. Miss you dear friend. Happy holidays
• Long holiday season is about to begin. Hope you have a great time ahead. See you after holidays. Happy Holidays
• Holidays are hear, so forget the work and enjoy it to the fullest. Happy holidays
• Time to say goodbye for long holidays, but my best wishes are always with you. Have a fun time. Happy holidays
• Winter holidays are the best time to meet and greet the loved one. Hope you have a memorable holiday this year. Happy holidays
• It’s family time now. Live the moments to the fullest. Happy holidays
Happy Holiday Card Messages and Greetings
No holiday card is complete without a personalized greetings on it. Altho most of holiday cards come with pre-written messages on them, it's still good to include your own greetings. For ideas and inspiration on what to write on your holiday card, scroll down for samples.
• Jingle bells, snowflakes, twinkling light and chilly air… all have come to wish you a very happy holidays
• May you get to spend the most fun and frolic time with the ones you care this holiday season. Happy holidays
• Holidays are here! Step out and travel… it’s the best time of the year. Happy holiday!
• Sending the most heartfelt holiday wishes for you and your family. Happy holidays
• With a big smile on my face, I would like to wish you very happy holidays
• The most joyful and merry holiday wishes for someone who has made my life more happy and joyful. Happy holidays dear.
Beautiful Holiday Greetings for Friends
• Just a simple message for the one who means a world to me. Love you dear. Happy Holidays
• This holiday season, I am surely going to miss you. You have changed my life and have made me a better person. Happy holidays
• My God bless you with the most happy time and endless joyful moments this holiday season. Happy holidays and merry Christmas
• Time to relax at home and spend a quality time with your family. Happy holidays
• May this bright and joyful season turn out to be the best in your life. Warmest holiday wishes for you and your family
• I wish you start your holidays with smile and end it with the same joy and lots of beautiful memories in your heart. Happy holidays!
Short Happy Holiday Wishes
Keep your greetings short and simple. Here are some one-liner holiday wishes that you can use. Just edit as necessary.
• Warmest greetings from the company and best wishes for you and your family. Blessed Holidays!
• Allow yourself to rejoice and be glad in the spirit of the Holiday season. Happiest Holiday!
• To a prosperous future and a past full of beautiful memories, make merry and enjoy your Holidays!
• May this Holiday Season bring you happiness as it illuminates your life. Happy Holiday!
• May this season bring you many reasons to smile and be glad. Happy Holiday!
• Wishing you good health and a prosperous future. Happiest Holiday season!
• This holiday season, my prayer is that your homes be filled with love and spectacular reasons to rejoice. Happy Holiday!
• May the Holiday spirit warm your hearts with love and a million reasons to celebrate. Happy Holidays!
• Wishing you spectacular success and a fantastic year ahead. Blessed Holiday Season!
Holiday Season Greetings and Messages
• May your holiday be filled with gratitude, forgiveness, love and hope. Season’s greetings and spectacular Holiday!
• May success, good tidings and happiness spiral around your life this holiday season and the days to come. Wishing you all the best throughout the year. Happy Holidays!
• Special thank you to all of you who have devoted time and effort into the success of this organization. Receive warm greetings as we wish you a wonderful Holiday Season!
• May your Holiday season be fun-filled with only the best of what your desires. Happiest Holiday Season!
• May you spend this Holiday doing all the things that your heart desires. May the season’s spirit bring you togetherness and happiness for you and your family. Happy Holidays!
• The best part of the holiday season is another opportunity to make memories with the ones you love. May you have a Happy Holiday!
Best Holiday Messages and Greetings
• Smiles, laughter and a joyous heart are what I wish for you this Holiday Season!
• Warmest greetings this holiday season! Wish you glad tidings and lots of merriment.
• One of the things I’m grateful for this Holiday Season is the chance to remind you of how much I appreciate you, and to pray that you have a joyous holiday!
• As your family comes together, may this season bring lots of joy and love to you all. Blessed Holiday Season!
• May this season be a turning point and bring you success in all you do. Stay Blessed!
• Wishing you goodwill and lots of happiness to last you the whole year. Merry Christmas!
• Love, peace and joy are the true meaning of Christmas. Enjoy every moment of it!
• Have a jolly day and a fun filled Christmas!
• May your day be blessed with the company of family and friends this Christmas season. Wishing you a merry Christmas!
Have a Happy Holiday
• This holiday season I wish you and your loved ones happiness, love and laughter. Happy holidays.
• You have done us proud this year. May the company of family and friends feel you with happiness this holiday season. Happy Holiday!
• Receive the warmest wishes from me to you and your family. Happy Holiday!
• Season’s greetings, may your holiday be filled with good cheer and remain treasured in your heart. Happy Holiday!
• Sending you best wishes full of hope, happiness and love for a joyous Holiday Season!
• As you celebrate the birth of Jesus, may He bless you with all the merriment and love to take you through the coming year. Merry Christmas!
• Wishing you a Christmas day full of bliss and jolly joy to bring light into your life. Happy Christmas!
Inspiring Holiday Messages, Warm Happy Holiday Greetings
Greet, at the same time, inspire this holiday season. Here are some of the best and most inspiring holiday wishes that you can use to inspire your relatives and loved ones this season.
• Christmas is a time for caring and sharing. Be sure to give and love this holiday season.
• Keep kindness and faith this Holiday. Wishing you good health and abundance this Christmas and coming New Year. Happy Holidays!
• Your soul is like a Christmas candle that selflessly gives itself away, silent and always loving. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
• May peace and harmony be with you and your loved ones this Holiday season. As you celebrate the birth of our Savior, I pray that the light of hope and love be reborn in you. Happy Holidays!
• As you open your gifts this holiday, open your heart as well and share your blessings. Spread love, kindness and joy this Christmas.
And there you have it! We hope that these samples of holiday wishes and messages help you come up with the best greetings for your recipient this holiday season. Here's a tip, just write a holiday greetings that come from the heart. Also, no need to write a very long greetings – just keep it simple yet warm and heartfelt. Don't forget to share these holiday wishes to your friends.