Personalised Cake Toppers
What to Write in a Christmas Card: Short, Long and By Recipient
Ready lines for family, partners, grandparents and the awkward work card, plus the small touches that make any message feel handwritten
By Natali, Printarelle · Handmade in Mallow, Co. Cork · Updated November 2026
Short answer
A good Christmas card message has three parts: a warm opening, one personal line specific to that person or the year you have had, and a closing wish. Short cards run 8 to 15 words for a big stack of colleagues and acquaintances. Long cards run 40 to 60 words for family, close friends and anyone you rarely get to say this to in person. There is no rule against writing the same warm message in ten cards, but the one specific detail should change every time.
In this guide
At a glance
Short message 8 to 15 words
Long message 40 to 60 words
Format Personalised, blank or scratch reveal
Personalise Name printed on the front
Price from €3.90
Made in Mallow, Co. Cork
Every December the same moment repeats itself in kitchens across Ireland: a stack of Christmas cards on the table, a pen in hand, and a blank inside cover that suddenly feels much bigger than it did in the shop. Knowing what to write in a Christmas card is not really a writing problem. It is a decision problem. How long should this one be, what do I actually say to a boss versus a grandmother, and is it alright to reuse the same line for three different aunts. This guide answers all three, with real examples for every relationship on your list.
One thing we notice printing hundreds of personalised cards a season from our studio here in Mallow, Co. Cork: the cards people keep on the mantelpiece are rarely the longest ones. They are the ones with one true, specific detail in them, the kind that only makes sense between two people. Everything below is built around finding that one line quickly, not around padding out a paragraph.
Should Your Message Be Short or Long?
Keep it short when
- You are signing a stack of ten or more, for colleagues, neighbours or your children's classmates
- The card design already says something personal, like a name printed on the front
- It is a professional relationship where a shorter, warmer note reads better than a long one
- You genuinely have five minutes and a big pile left to get through tonight
Go longer when
- It is close family or a friend you do not see often enough during the year
- The person has had a genuinely hard year and a few warm lines will mean more than a joke
- It is a first Christmas, a baby, a new relationship, a new home or a first Christmas without someone
- You want this exact card kept, not opened and put straight in the recycling
A short Christmas card message follows a simple shape: greeting, one warm word, sign off. It does not need to be clever. Here are ready-to-use lines by tone.
Warm and simple
“Wishing you a warm and happy Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas! Sending love from our house to yours.”
“Hope your Christmas is full of the good things. See you in the new year.”
For colleagues and the office round
“Merry Christmas! Thank you for a great year working together.”
“Wishing you a well-deserved break and a happy new year.”
“Season's greetings, and thanks for everything this year.”
A little funny
“Merry Christmas to someone who still has not seen me in daylight since summer.”
“Wishing you a Christmas as chaotic and lovely as you are.”
Long Christmas Card Messages
A long message still follows the greeting, personal line, wish structure, it just gives the middle part more room. The trick is one real detail from this actual year, not a generic sentiment that could go in any card. Three full examples below, each 40 to 60 words.
“Merry Christmas, and what a year it has been. I still think about the summer we spent trying to get the barbecue to actually light. Thank you for always being at the other end of the phone when it matters. Wishing you a Christmas full of good food, better company, and a well-deserved rest.”
“This year has not been easy for you, and I have thought of you more than you probably know. Christmas will not fix everything, but I hope it brings a little peace and a few hours where things feel lighter. I am always here, this Christmas and every other one.”
“Your first Christmas as parents. We could not be happier for the three of you, and we cannot wait to meet the newest member of the family properly in the new year. Wishing your little house all the warmth, the naps you can get, and the magic this season deserves.”
What to Write, By Recipient
Most searches for Christmas card wording narrow down fast once you know who the card is actually for. Here is what tends to land well for the five relationships people write for most, with a real card matched to each.
Family: Mam, Dad and the ones who raised you
This is the card people take longest over and then say the least in. Name one thing they did this year, not just this decade. “Thank you for always having the kettle on when I call in” beats “thank you for everything” every time.
Your husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend
This is the one card on the list that gets to be genuinely soft. Reference the actual year, an inside joke, or the thing you are looking forward to together in the new one. Save the generic romance for the shop shelf, not your own card.
Nana, Grandad, Granny and Grandma
Grandparents keep these cards. Actually keep them, in a drawer, for years. Mention something they taught you, a tradition that is theirs, or simply that you are thinking of them if a visit is not possible this year.
Grandchildren, and a baby's first Christmas
Cards for children get read out loud, usually by a parent, so keep the sentence simple and warm rather than clever. For a first Christmas, name the milestone. It is the one card from this year that gets kept in the baby book.
Friends who would rather laugh than cry
Not every relationship wants sentiment on paper, and that is fine. A gently funny card with one honest line underneath the joke still lands. “Best decision I ever made, still glad every Christmas” does more work than three earnest sentences.
Extra Touches That Add Real Value
Name Card, Scratch Reveal or Keepsake Bauble?
| Personalised name card | Scratch reveal card | Foil bauble keepsake | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personalisation | Name printed on the front | A hidden message under the foil | Name and short message inside a bauble shape |
| Best for | The classic thoughtful card | Anyone who loves an interactive moment | Someone who keeps every card you send |
| Price from | €3.90 | €4.99 | €5.60 |
| Choose this if | You want your written message to be the whole gift | You want the opening itself to be part of the surprise | You want the card to end up on the tree, not in recycling |
Prices are indicative and follow the current listings. Check the product page for today's price.
Know what you want to say? Pick the card that says it
Every design is printed and hand finished to order in our studio in Mallow, Co. Cork.
Shop Christmas cards →Every Design in This Guide
Questions We Get Asked
Is it wrong to write the same message in more than one card?
No. Most people writing ten or more cards reuse a base message. What matters is changing one specific detail per card, a name, a shared memory or something you are wishing that person specifically. The base wish can repeat, the personal line should not.
What do I write for someone I am not that close to?
Keep it short and warm rather than forcing personal detail that is not there. "Wishing you a very happy Christmas and a great start to the new year" covers a neighbour, a distant relative or a client without sounding stiff or overdone.
What if the person has had a difficult year?
Acknowledge it gently rather than writing around it with forced cheer. A line like "this year has not been easy, and I am thinking of you" reads as far more genuine than pretending everything is fine, and it gives them permission to feel however they actually feel this Christmas.
How early should I write and post Christmas cards from Ireland?
Aim to have messages written around ten days before Christmas, so posting is the only thing left to do. An Post's guaranteed delivery cut-off for Ireland and the UK is usually the latest date, with earlier cut-offs for the rest of Europe and further afield. Check anpost.com/christmas each year for the current dates.
Where are Printarelle Christmas cards made?
Every card is designed, printed and hand finished to order in our studio in Mallow, Co. Cork, then posted out in a protective envelope so it arrives ready to write in and send straight back out again.
Writing for someone whose relationship to you does not fit neatly into any of the above? Tell us who the card is for and we will help you find the right wording and the right design.
Ask us →Keep browsing
Natali, founder of Printarelle
I design, print and hand finish every order from our studio in Mallow, Co. Cork. Every December I read the personalisation notes on hundreds of Christmas card orders, which is where the wording patterns in this guide actually come from.
Find the card, then find the words
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Handmade with love in Mallow, Co. Cork · printarelle.com
