What is an appropriate Christmas greeting?

Along with tracking down the perfect gift for all the special people in your life, take a moment to share just how much your friends, family members, neighbors, coworkers, teachers and loved ones mean to you with a handwritten Christmas greeting.

Filling out Christmas cards may feel like more work than its worth, but imagine the joy on the recipient's face as the read a special message from yours truly. But if you're worried that your words won't convey what's really in your heart, then you've come to the right place.

Below, we've rounded up an array of Christmas greetings that can be written as-is, shortened to fit the size of a smaller greeting card or spruced up with personalized details about the recipient.

It's up to you whether you want to cut to the chase with short (but sweet) saying, tap into your punny side with a funny greeting, write a cheery message with religious undertones (one of these Christmas blessings, perhaps) or borrow words from some of history's most inspiring minds.

Whatever you choose, all of these wishes and messages sure beat the basic ol' "Merry Christmas" (but hey, there's nothing wrong with sticking to tradition either).

Merry Christmas greetings

• Your love is the greatest gift this Christmas.
• May the joy the season extend into the new year.
• Good tidings to you and yours this holiday season.
• Though we're apart, you're in my heart this holiday season.
• Hope your Christmas is full of all your favorite things!
• May our love keep you warm this Christmas.
• It's people like you who make the season so merry and bright.
• Gifts are great and all, but what really matters is the love that surrounds you as you unwrap them.
• Warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas.
• All is calm, all is bright.
• Glad tidings to you and yours.
• May this Christmas season fill your home with warmth, light and joy.
• Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.
• Wishing you joy and peace this holiday season.
• Have a blessed holiday season.
• May your Christmas be filled with love and joy.
• You put the merry in my Christmas!
• Joy and blessings to you and your loved ones.
• Happy hugs to you this Christmas.
• Wishing you an old-fashioned Christmas holiday.
• Oh, what fun it is! Happy Holidays.
• Wishing you all the delights of the holiday season.
• It's not what's under the tree that matters most, it's who's around it.
• Family is the best gift of all. Happy holidays!
• More tinsel, more snow, more merry, more everything!
• Wishing you all the joy of the season from across the miles.
• Joyful moments and simple abundance to you and yours.
• Cherish the moments this holiday season.
• Wishing you health and happiness this Christmas.
• All I want for Christmas is for you to know how much I adore you!

Funny Christmas greetings

• 'Tis the season for Christmas cookies, twinkle lights and one too many glasses of eggnog!
• Have a be-yule-tiful Christmas.
• Who needs gifts under the tree when you have me? Kidding, obviously.
• Hope you like our elfie! Merry Christmas.
• Have a “fahoo fores” Christmas! Love, The Grinch
• Bring us some figgy pudding ... and bring it right now!
• Meowy Christmas!
• Dachshund through the snow …
• Have a cool yule.
• It's the most wine-derful time of the year!
• Seasons eatings!
• I hope Santa treats you well this year!
• Feliz Navidog!
• I'm feeling extra Santa-mental this Christmas, so I want you to know how much you mean to me.
• Have your elf a merry little Christmas.
• Happy howldays!
• It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Supposedly.
• Wishing you a stress-free holiday. If you're successful, please share your tips.
• Are you sure you made Santa's nice list this year? I've heard otherwise...
• Here’s hoping Kris Kringle stops at your house first!
• Paw humbug!

Short (and sweet) Christmas greetings

• Peace, love and joy!
• May your holiday be filled with hot cocoa and candy canes.
• ‘Tis the season to be silly.
• Joy to the world.
• Sending Christmas love from the bright lights of the big city.
• May your Christmas be bright!
• Friends & family are what it’s all about. Happiest of holidays.
• Wishing you cozy slippers and sweaters this Christmas.
• Wishing you a truckload of cheer.
• Grateful. Thankful. Blessed.
• Mele Kalikimaka!
• Sweet holiday wishes to you and yours.

Religious Christmas greetings

• May God bless you and bring you a Happy New Year.
• Peace on earth, good will to men.
• Hark the herald angels sing!
• Faith, love and family.
• Come all ye faithful.
• The magic of Christmas is not in presents, but in His presence.
• O come let us adore Him.
• May God fill your heart with love and light this Christmas.

Christmas greetings inspired by quotes

• “The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” — Burton Hillis 
• “Christmas magic is silent. You don’t hear it. You feel it. You know it. You remember it.” — Kevin Alan Milne, “The Paper Bag Christmas”
• “Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.” — Peg Bracken
• “Christmas gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the important things around us.” — David Cameron
• “The spirit of the season never has to end as long as you keep your loved ones near, and the holiday wish in your heart.” — Jiminy Cricket, “Holiday Wishes”
• “Christmas is the season of joy, of holiday greetings, exchanged, of gift-giving, and of families united.” — Norman Vincent Peale
• “At Christmas, all roads lead home.” — Marjorie Holmes
• “Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.” — Edna Ferber
• "Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” — Hamilton Wright Mabie

More holiday cheer right here!

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• Best Christmas quotes that are bound to bring the cheer
• Christmas Instagram captions to make your grid merry and bright

Sarah Lemire

Sarah Lemire is a lifestyle reporter at TODAY.com with more than a decade of experience writing across an array of channels including home, health, holidays, personal finance, shopping, food, fashion, travel and weddings. An avid traveler, foodie, helicopter parent and couch film critic, Sarah is originally from Minneapolis and has spent the last two decades unsuccessfully trying to figure out the difference between a hoagie and a sub.

Amanda Garrity

Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle editor at TODAY.com, where she writes, edits and optimizes content in the lifestyle space. Previously, she covered home, holiday and gifts at Good Housekeeping. 

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