Guide
What to Write in a Christmas Card: Messages and Ideas
A Christmas card does not have to be long. With a simple structure and a few examples, your greeting is written in five minutes.
Here you will find the structure, message ideas for different people and tips for A6 cards.
How to structure the message
- A greeting with the name; for colleagues and customers, “Dear” followed by the title and surname works well
- One personal sentence: a thank-you, a shared memory or a look back at the year
- Your Christmas wish, for example “Merry Christmas” or “Peaceful holidays”
- A look ahead: a good start to the new year or seeing each other again
- Sign-off and signature
Three to five sentences fit on an A6 card in normal handwriting. Short and personal works better than long and generic.
Message ideas for family and friends
- “Dear Grandma, thank you for the biscuits, the stories and all the hugs this year. I wish you a peaceful Christmas and look forward to seeing you soon. Love, Lena”
- “Dear Mia and Jonas, I am so glad to have you. Wishing you a cosy Christmas with lots of time together and a good start to the new year. See you soon! Love, Sophie”
- “Dear Dad, Christmas would only be half as lovely without you. Thank you for everything. Merry Christmas! Love, Jan”
- “Dear friends, we are thinking of you and sending you lots of warmth for the holidays. Let’s make sure we spend an evening together again in the new year. Love, the Becker family”
Message ideas for colleagues and customers
- “Dear Ms Smith, thank you for working so well together this year. I wish you a restful Christmas and a good start to the new year. Kind regards, Anna Weber”
- “Dear Thomas, thanks for always listening and for all your good ideas. Happy holidays, and see you after the break!”
- “Dear Mr Keller, thank you very much for your trust this year. We wish you and your family a merry Christmas and a healthy new year.”
Short greetings for little space
- “Merry Christmas and a happy new year!”
- “A few quiet days, a warm cup of tea and lots of light: that is what I wish you.”
- “Thank you for a lovely year. Merry Christmas!”
- “Cosy holidays and all my love!”
Messages to match our three motifs
Our Christmas cards have a plain white back so you can write your greeting on it. Each card comes with its own fixed envelope.
- Bow with “Oh du fröhliche” (O How Joyfully): “O joyful time: I am sending you a bow full of good wishes.”
- Mistletoe with “Fröhliche Weihnachten” (Merry Christmas): “There is a hug waiting for you under the mistletoe. Merry Christmas!”
- Nutcracker with “Ihr Kinderlein kommet” (O Come, Little Children): “The nutcracker is making sure the holidays don’t get too hectic. Come and visit soon!”
Tips for the card
- Draft the message on a piece of paper first so that it fits on the card.
- Test your pen on a scrap first so that nothing bleeds through or smudges.
- Leave a little space at the edges; the writing looks calmer.
- If the card should arrive before Christmas, post it at the beginning of December.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
What do you write in a Christmas card?
A greeting with the name, one personal sentence, your Christmas wish and a sign-off. A card needs no more than that.
How long should a Christmas card message be?
Three to five sentences are enough. On an A6 card they fit comfortably in normal handwriting.
When should you post Christmas cards?
To arrive before Christmas, ideally at the beginning of December. Within Germany a letter usually takes one to three working days; post to other countries takes longer.
Is the back of the card printed?
No. The back is plain white so you can write your Christmas greeting on it.
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