When you’ve gone to all the trouble of trawling through Christmas card templates to find the right Christmas cards to make your family and friends feel special, you want to make sure that what you write in them is perfect for the occasion. This can feel like a lot of pressure! For stress free Christmas cards from your first Christmas card ideas right through to writing your message and popping them in the mail, Paperlust has you covered. Read on for our guide to writing Christmas greeting cards that your friends will want to keep for years to come. We’ve included tonnes of advice and sample Christmas sayings for cards to make things simple.
Two Parts to Christmas Card Greetings
Christmas greetings for cards often come in two parts: what is printed on the card and what you write in it. The printed part might be on the front of the card, or the front might just feature a picture while the message is printed inside the card. A traditional merry Christmas card (like what you’ll find in Christmas card packs from the shops) will often have an illustrated front with something like ‘Season’s Greetings’ or ‘Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year’ printed inside.
If you create your own card using a custom template like our Paperlust designs, or opt for DIY Christmas cards or free printable Christmas cards, you can get more in depth, printing text that’s intended for all your guests. This might cover everything from
If the card is blank inside, your xmas card messages will be entirely handwritten.
Things to Write in Christmas Cards
While we are most commonly asked about how to make Christmas cards personal, it’s inevitable that you’ll have to rely on some generic sentiments in your Christmas cards as well. This gives you a starting point to build from.
Some of the most common Christmas messages for cards include:
- Merry Christmas
- Happy Christmas
- Season’s greetings
- Holiday greetings
- Happy Holidays
- Merry Christmas and a happy new year
- Peace and joy
- Christmas wishes
- We wish you a merry Christmas
- Yuletide greetings
- Feliz Navidad
- Christmas greetings
- Greetings of the season
- Joyeux Noel
These are the perfect starting point when writing Christmas wishes for cards, and because they are short they frequently feature on the front or in large text inside. Whatever Christmas cards ideas you’ve got, and whether you’re opting for homemade Christmas cards, Christmas e cards or professionally designed Christmas cards, these are the little snippets of text that are key to making Christmas cards feel…well, Christmassy!
General Christmas Messages
Whether printed or handwritten, most people will have general xmas messages for their cards – things they want to communicate to everybody they write a card to. It can be challenging to know how to make a Christmas card read appropriately for your whole audience, so it can be best to have a template merry Christmas greeting card written out that you can simply tweak or add to as you go, depending who you are writing to.
For example:
Merry Christmas to my family and friends! May this holiday season be full of joy and peace, and may your celebrations be blessed.
If you use your Christmas cards as an opportunity to share what happened during the year, you might add a message about your family too.
For example:
2018 has been a big year for the Jameson family! Dave started a new job with Eastern Health in March, and has been really enjoying the work. He continued playing footy and was proud to be awarded best and fairest. Jess has been kept busy enjoying the new challenges of being a mum to two. She has been getting involved in the school community and still enjoys playing netball each week. Lucy started grade prep in February and has been thriving. She is turning into a great reader and loves our regular trips to the library. Lucy loves being a big sister and never leaves Max’s side when she’s at home. Max is now a happy 7 month old. He recently started on solid food and mashed banana is his favourite.
We hope 2018 has been as kind to you as it has been to us, and we wish all our friends and family a wonderful 2019.
If you’re confident that your generic message is going to suit all your guests, consider printing it on your holiday cards and adding small handwritten Christmas card notes for your closest family and friends. This is a great way to add a personal touch without having to make your own homemade Christmas cards from scratch. Easy Christmas cards (that still have the charm of handmade xmas cards) are the dream at such a busy time of year! And thanks to Paperlust, simple Christmas cards don’t have to mean printing them on computer paper or emailing e xmas card at the last minute: you can create Christmas cards that are perfectly suited to you without all the fuss that normally accompanies anything personalised.
Christmas Card Words
When writing your merry xmas cards, there are a number of words you can use throughout to give that warm Christmas feel. Consider dotting your greetings for Christmas with words like:
- Cheer
- Merry
- Warm
- Blessed
- Festive
- Happy
- Joy
- Peace
- Goodwill
- Wishes
- Greetings
- Holidays
- Yuletide
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, consider throwing in words like:
- Frosty
- Winter / wintry
- Snow / snowmen
- Icy
There are also endless Christmassy things you can refer to, including:
- Gifts
- Santa
- Stockings
- Angels
- Christmas tree
- Holly
- Elves
- Reindeer and sleigh
- Candy canes
- Fruitcake or mince pies
- Nativity
- Carols / carolers
- Mistletoe
- Eggnog
- Tradition
Personal Christmas Messages
A personal Christmas message is the easiest way to make a Christmas card truly meaningful, especially if it is handwritten. This is important for all Christmas cards, but especially Christmas cards for your girlfriend, boyfriend, wife, husband, kids, parents, or best friend. Your Christmas or happy holidays cards should be as emotional (or not) as is normal for you and in your relationship.
For example, a personal message could say something like:
Merry Christmas Dad! I’m so excited for the chance to celebrate with you again after all these years. Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a wonderful new year full of all the things you love. Can’t wait to see you soon. Love, Jemma.
But personal Christmas wishes for cards could also mean something like:
Dear Amy – Wishing you a very merry Christmas, filled with family and friends, joy and peace. You are the love of my life and I am so grateful for each and every day I get to spend with you. All I want for Christmas is you, truly. Love forever, Mick.
Flipped around the other way, these two messages might seem strange and out of place. The trick is to know your audience and write from the heart!
Religious Christmas card verses
For many, Christmas is about far more than just presents and food: it’s an important time of year on the religious calendar as well. This is often celebrated with a traditional Christmas card. Christian Christmas cards often feature Bible verses.
Popular Christmas verses for greeting cards include (all xmas card verses written here from the NIV):
- Isaiah 9:6 – “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”
- Isaiah 7:14 – “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
- Luke 2:10-11 – “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
- John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
- John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
The lyrics to some of the more religious Christmas carols also make great Christmas verses for cards.
- “Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light”
- “Joy to the world! The Lord is come: let Earth receive her King!”
- “This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing”
- “Hail, hail the Word made flesh, the Babe, the Son of Mary.”
- “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn”
- “Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels, O come let us adore Him”
- “Peace on Earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled”
- “Noel, noel, noel, noel, born is the King of Israel”
- “So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven.”
- “O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray, cast out our sin and enter in, be born to us today.”
Whether you choose biblical xmas verses for cards, carol lyrics or other Christmas cards verses, or a simple Christian Christmas greeting, Paperlust is the ideal place to order religious Christmas cards Australia wide and beyond – you have full control over the text and can make it say whatever you want. Our job is to make sure it all looks perfect and get it to you fast.
Christmas quotes for cards
Christians aren’t the only ones that like to include quotes on their Christmas greetings cards, and there are tonnes of non-religious quotes from songs, poems and stories that you can choose from. These quotes are perfect if you’re looking for Christmas card greeting ideas and don’t have anything you particularly want to say. They make a great starting point for the rest of your xmas card greetings, and can either be printed on your cards if you’re going to create your own cards and have them printed or are opting for Christmas cards homemade, or can be written on blank Christmas cards.
Popular quotes for your Christmas and New Year cards include:
- “Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” – Clement Clarke Moore
- “One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.” – Andy Rooney
- “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” – ‘Elf’
- “We are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder
- “I heard the bells on Christmas Day, their old, familiar carols play, and wild and sweet, the words repeat, of peace on Earth, goodwill to men!” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- “Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” – Dr. Seuss
And from songs and carols, consider:
- “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
- “We wish you a merry Christmas”
- “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas”
- “Jingle Bells, jingle Bells, jingle all the way”
- “Santa Claus is coming to town”
- “Rocking around the Christmas tree, have a happy holiday, everyone dancing merrily in a new old fashioned way.”
- “Walking in a Winter Wonderland”
- “O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches”
- “Come on it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you”
Funny xmas cards
One of the most common things we are asked about is xmas cards ideas for those who like their Christmas cards funny. Making xmas cards funny can be tricky: you want it to seem natural, not forced. If you’re just going for cheap Christmas cards, you might feel more inclined to experiment, but if you’re going to spend money on premium or luxury Christmas cards it can feel like a big risk! But it doesn’t have to. The key is to know your audience and make sure you create a Christmas card that everyone on your Christmas card list will be able to appreciate, from your best friend to your grandma.
Quotes from songs, books or movies are perfect for funny xmas card messages, or you can put a funny spin on a Christmas theme. Some fun choices include:
- “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth”
- “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear” – ‘Elf’
- “It’s all fun and games until Santa checks the naughty list”
- “Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle”
- “Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year.” – Victor Borge
- “Prosec-ho-ho-ho!“
- “Merry Christmas ya filthy animal” – ‘Home Alone 2’
Another great way to create funny or quirky Christmas cards is to include an in-joke that only your friends will get. Just make sure everyone receiving a card will understand the joke! If you want to include your own in-joke on a card, Paperlust is ideal for funny Christmas cards in Australia or overseas, because our Christmas card creator tool gives you full control over the text. When you create Christmas cards online you can make sure the wording is perfect, then our design team will make sure it looks great and our customer service team will get it shipped express to you, so can be confident that you’ll have your cards for Christmas.
Aussie Christmas Greetings
If you’re in Australia and post Christmas cards to friends and family overseas, you might want to add some Aussie greetings for something a little unique. For the full effect, choose Australian themed Christmas cards as well! Both Aussie Christmas cards and Aussie Christmas wishes typically hinge on reminding people you’re celebrating in the summertime on the beach or in the bush.
You don’t need to write ‘G’day from Down Under’ just because you want to send Christmas wishes from Australia (although you can if you like!). Consider writing something like:
Merry Christmas from sunny Australia! I’ll be celebrating the silly season this year with a beer at the beach, a long way from our usual traditions! Hope you all have a great holiday – can’t wait to catch up when I’m home. Love, Lucy.
Kids Christmas Cards
Coming up with cool Christmas cards ideas for kids can be daunting, especially if your kids have strong ideas about what constitutes ‘awesome Christmas cards’ and you’re not sure you agree!
At Paperlust we have a range of Christmas cards templates for kids, and they’re fully customisable. That means whether you’re looking for Christmas cards for kids, family or baby’s first Christmas Australia wide or beyond, you’ll be able to get something that’s perfect for the occasion. We make it easy to make Christmas cards online that come out looking professional and luxurious. One of our most popular options for kids are our photo Christmas cards. Instead of working out how to make Christmas cards at home with kids without making a mess (somehow!), why not use a photo of your kids or a photo of a piece of art your child created during the year?
But once you’ve got the perfect childrens Christmas cards, what then? How do you write cute Christmas greetings or personal Christmas messages for children’s cards? There are two approaches to getting amazing Christmas cards from your kids: either let them do their thing and hope it comes out cute, or take a more hands-on approach.
If you’re letting them do their thing, either have them dictate what to put in a Christmas card and write it out for them, or let them write their own, depending on their age and capability. If you want to offer more guidance, you might want to write out some greetings for Christmas cards that they can copy out (or write out a xmas card template in pencil and let them trace over it).
Simple Christmas card ideas for greetings might include something like:
Dear Uncle Jim and Aunty Bec, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Love from Isla.
This is simple and easy to copy, but coming from your child will be super meaningful for the recipients.
Business Christmas Greetings
Writing a happy Christmas card isn’t always a personal thing – sometimes you’re writing Christmas card greetings for business purposes instead. Writing Christmas greetings for clients, colleagues or other professional contacts can often be even more difficult than writing a personal note, since you don’t have the same sort of emotions or shared experiences to draw on for inspiration.
Corporate cards often come in the form of Christmas thank you cards in addition to simple well-wishing, thanking clients for their business or staff members for their service through the year. A corporate Christmas card is also a form of advertising, reminding people of your company and attempting to inspire good will for the coming year.
Christmas greeting messages for businesses should be kept simple and to-the-point. It’s also a good idea to avoid religious messaging on Christmas greetings to clients (although whether you extend this to avoiding ‘Christmas’ altogether and simply wishing ‘Happy Holidays’ or ‘Season’s Greetings’ is up to you).
If you’re looking for corporate Christmas card ideas, browse our collection today, and take a look at our complete guide to Christmas greetings for business while you’re there.
Sample Christmas card messages for business may read:
Dear Mr Jones, Wishing you and your family a very happy holidays and a joyful New Year. We thank you for your support in 2018, and we look forward to another great year to come. Kind regards, (business name).
Dear Frank and Jessica, Merry Christmas! We hope you enjoy this time of celebration and rest. We have truly appreciated your business in 2018, and wish you every success and joy in the New Year. Best, (business name)
Keep it simple and match the language to your business persona, and you can’t go wrong.
Paperlust is your home for Christmas stationery, from Christmas party invitations and Christmas cards right through to Xmas tags. Whatever Christmas card size, shape or design, and whether you’re looking to buy bulk Christmas cards or just a few for your nearest and dearest, we can help. Browse our curated collection of Christmas card design templates today.