Christmas and New Year’s Eve/Day (often shortened to "New Year’s") are times when family and friends get together. It is a time of miracles and fulfilling of wishes. For many people, these are very important events in their lives because there is a spark of hope in the soul that the new year will bring big changes, things will improve, long-held wishes will be fulfilled, etc.
So I thought it would be a good idea to suggest a few ways that you can wish someone well in English during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
As most people know, most Christians in Britain and the United States celebrate Christmas on December 25, and it is a more important holiday to them than New Year’s Eve/Day. In other countries, for example, Ukraine and Russia, New Year’s is more important than Christmas.
Here are a few ways to wish someone well for Christmas:
• May your life be filled with joy and happiness and may each new day bring you moments to cherish
• Merry Christmas and may you live a long and happy life filled with goodwill and friendship
• May this New Year bring you peace and tranquillity, and as you walk your path may it bring you contentment
• I hope you know how much I value your friendship. I wish you a very merry Christmas and may we enjoy many more years together as friends
• On this most blessed day, I wish you love for all your kindness, and I hope the New Year will bring you many days of happiness.
• Merry Christmas, and may this New Year bring you joy and laughter
• To be happy is the greatest wish in life
If you want to wish your friends and acquaintances well in English, you can confidently write these expressions in messages and cards.
What You Can Write in Christmas and New Year’s Cards to Wish Someone Well
The expressions should not be too long, but at the same time they should be meaningful; we try to write everything clearly and concisely, since we are not writing a letter, but a card. So look at a few examples of how to express your wishes in a card in English.
• It is easy to get lost in the flurry of activity during the holiday season. May you get time to take in the beauty and true meaning of the season and have a Merry Christmas!
• I wish you a blessed holiday season. May this Christmas bring you comfort, joy, peace and happiness to last throughout the coming year!
• This season is so much more than holiday parties and giving gifts. May your Christmas be filled with true miracles and the true meaning of this beautiful time.
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• As Christmas and the New Year approach, I want to take time to tell you how blessed I feel to know you. Here’s to wishing you a very Merry Christmas and amazing New Year.
• The true heart of Christmas is one of wonder and warmth. May any holiday stress you feel fade away and be replaced with this. Merry Christmas!
• May your heart and home be filled with all of the joys the season brings. Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!
• May all the beauty and blessings this Christmas season has to offer to be with you and your family. Happy Christmas to you all!
Write cards to your friends! In the era of the Internet age, we’ve forgotten how happy we are when we receive a handwritten letter.
Personally, I would like to wish you, even more, the determination in the new year to study, work harder, be even kinder and more sympathetic, and may your cherished wishes and dreams come true!
In 2022 you will definitely learn English!
I wish you well during the upcoming holidays!
Inside: Get the English translation of and lyrics to Feliz Navidad (I Wanna Wish You a Merry Christmas), from the legendary José Feliciano.
What's the most iconic bilingual Christmas song? You guessed it: Feliz Navidad.
Though the lyrics are simple– six words in Spanish, and thirteen in English– this song is incredibly famous. It unites two languages, two cultures, celebrating one holiday.
He wrote "Feliz Navidad" in ten minutes. "That’s why it’s the simplest song ever written," he said… "I wanted a song that belonged to the masses," he recalled.
– The Fiftieth Anniversary of "Feliz Navidad," the Simplest Song Ever WrittenWhether you speak Spanish fluently or not, this one will stick in your head all December!
Here's quick tour of the post– click any title to jump to that section:
• The Meaning of Feliz Navidad
• Feliz Navidad Lyrics
• English translation of the Spanish lyrics
• My favorite YouTube video versions of the song
Feliz Navidad Meaning
First, what does Feliz Navidad itself mean?
Literally translated, it means Happy Christmas (feliz = happy, Navidad = Christmas). To translate it into a more common U.S. phrase, Feliz Navidad means Merry Christmas.
Feliz Navidad Lyrics (I WANNA WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS)
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Próspero año y felicidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Próspero año y felicidad
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Próspero año y felicidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Próspero año y felicidad
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Próspero año y felicidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Próspero año y felicidad
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Próspero año y felicidad
English Translation of Lyrics
Feliz Navidad (Merry Christmas)
Feliz Navidad (Merry Christmas)
Feliz Navidad (Merry Christmas)
Próspero año y felicidad (A prosperous New Year and happiness)
Though the literal translation of Feliz Navidad is “Happy Christmas,” (feliz = happy), when translating to an American phrase Merry Christmas makes more sense.
Próspero año y felicidad, literally translated, means “A prosperous year – and happiness,” and “Próspero año” is a common way for Spanish speakers to express “Happy New Year.”
Here is a version sung by José Feliciano, the original writer and composer.
If you prefer to watch with the lyrics, here is another option:
My personal favorite is this cover from Michael Bublé and Thalia:
Want to stay in touch and hear from me weekly?
Every December the lights they shine so bright
Once again the celebration begins
Everywhere I go I feel the energy
They ignite these warm feelings within
Caught up in the rush of all my Christmas shopping
I'm searching for a special gift from me to you
Walking to the station I'm thinking of you
The day is done, now I'm on my way home
Always forever, just take hold of my hand
and I know that we will walk this path together
Shining so brightly for all the world to see
We can take all our dreams and make them reality
All that I treasure, all the things you give to me
All the stars in the heavens up above us
I know that they'll always live deep down inside me
Everything that I feel for you this Merry Christmas
Walk from the station, I feel my heartbeat race
For I know that very soon I will be home
You greet me at the door, a kiss a short embrace
You're so busy with the preparations
In the twilight hour as we exchange our presents
You smile and say you love me and my feelings soar
Stare into each others eyes, it's so clear to me
I've found my home, you know it makes me love you more
Always forever, just take hold of my hand
And I know that we will walk this path together
Shining so brightly for all the world to see
We can take all our dreams and make them reality
I still remember the day you made me see
that a life without your love it has no meaning
And now that I know what your love means to me
Through the years I'll be wishing you a Merry Christmas
On that December night, underneath the moonlight
I promised you that we'd never ever be apart
Swept up in the moment I broke down and cried
The pain of love from the bottom of my heart
Always forever, just take hold of my hand
And I know that we will walk this path together
Shining so brightly for all the world to see
We can take all our dreams and make them reality
I still remember the day you made me see
that a life without your love it has no meaning
And now that I know what your love means to me
Through the years I'll be wishing you a Merry Christmas
And as the years go by, each passing Christmas
I reflect on what life's given me
The gentle snow fall, the look of love in your eyes
Times together, my sweet memories
The simplest Christmas greeting is:
Happy Christmas
Another popular standard greeting is:
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
"Merry" and "happy" have slightly different meanings. "Merry" means happy, but in a joyful and festive way. We don’t use the word very often, except in Christmas greetings, but it may be used to describe any traditional occasion involving food and drink, music and dancing.
There are numerous variations on this greeting. For example:
Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year
Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year (less formal)
Generic greetings which are suitable in a multi-faith context are:
Season’s Greetings
Holiday Greetings
Happy Holidays
They may be modified as follows:
Season’s Greetings and best wishes for the New Year
Holiday Greetings with all good wishes for the New Year
Season’s Greetings from all of us at [name of company]
There is any number of more complex greetings. Here’s a sample of some that would be suitable in a business context:
Best wishes for a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year
Greetings of the Season and Best Wishes for the New Year
Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful Holiday and a Happy New Year
Wishing you every happiness this Holiday Season and throughout the coming year
May the peace and joy of the Holiday Season be with you throughout the coming year
All of us at [name of company] join in sending seasons greetings with all good wishes for the New Year
More specific greetings – thanks:
In warm appreciation of our association during the past year, we wish you a Merry Christmas and every success in the New Year
With thanks for our fruitful cooperation during the past year, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and look forward to continuing our joint success in the New Year
All of us at [name of company] join in saying "thank you" and wishing you a happy holiday and prosperous new year
Greetings with more of a Christian message:
May the Blessings of Christmas bring you Peace and Joy throughout the New Year
May the Joy and Peace of Christmas be with you now and throughout the New Year