How To Write The PERFECT Christmas Card

Isn't it exciting that Christmas is almost here? Just a few more weeks and we'll be celebrating the holiday we've been looking forward to all year. And traditionally, without Merry Christmas card messages, Christmas is never done right.

Every year around this time, we all receive a flood of Christmas wishes and cards. Have you ever read them all? Well, I have, and while some of them are really sweet and heartfelt, others are just awful. Let's be honest for a minute. Most of the Christmas card messages we receive have their Christmas wishes copied from the internet, and there's nothing wrong with that. However, adding a personal touch makes it more genuine and makes the recipient feel special that someone took the time to write something for them. That is, after all, the main motive of Christmas greeting cards.

Wouldn't it be nice to have some suggestions for crafting such beautiful Christmas card messages? Or perhaps a bunch of ideas? That's right, I'm here to share some tips with you on how to write greeting cards that will make the receiver feel loved and blessed to have you in their life.

What Do You Need Before You Start Writing Christmas Cards?

Writing Christmas wishes is a whole new level of fun. Before you begin writing Christmas greetings, there are a few things you should double-check or have ready.

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1. Make a list: First, make a list of everyone to whom you want to send cards.
    
2. Update address book: Before sending out cards, double-check that you have all of the addresses correct. If anyone on your list has recently moved or changed addresses, make sure to update their information.
3. Make a phone call: Because I like to be over-prepared, I call everyone on my list to see if they are celebrating Christmas elsewhere.
4. Stock up: To avoid running out of cards, envelopes, stamps, or pens, keep enough on hand.

What To Write In Christmas Cards?

This year, we're not going to settle for generic greetings. We're going all out to craft a beautiful Christmas greeting. Consider the following points as your starting point.

1. Start with a holiday greeting: When writing your wishes, always begin with a Christmas greeting. Traditional Christmas sentiments such as "Merry Christmas!", "Jingle all the way," or "'Tis the Season" is perfect.

2. Personalize Christmas Cards based on your relationship with the recipient: Consider who you're writing to and the kind of relationship you have with that person. To friends and family, you can write cards with cheesy or silly wording. However, when writing to coworkers or bosses, keep it lighthearted and yet appropriate.

Keep in mind:

• When writing to family and friends, express your gratitude and thank them for their love and support. Share a holiday memory that you still cherish in your heart.
• If you and your coworkers have a good relationship, you can be casual in your greetings. If not, it is better to write it in a formal tone.
• Be respectful, especially when writing to your boss or a superior. Write about how their advice and encouragement have helped you advance in your career. Send them your best wishes for good health and a relaxing holiday.
• If you are unable to celebrate holidays with your family because you are away from home, express how much you miss them. Send your warmest regards along with lots of love and hugs.

3. Limit family updates to one passage and refrain from boasting: I realize this seems a bit strange. However, because family news usually consists of who did what or who was accepted to Harvard or Yale, it is best to keep them in one short and simple paragraph. Don't go into too much detail about each individual. So, you don't come across as boastful. You wouldn't believe how many people get turned off by that.

Say something more positive, like "I hope for her brightest future," as opposed to "I can't believe how she got into Harvard on the first try." 

Also, instead of mentioning your expensive car or lavish vacation, write about an important event in your life that occurred throughout the year. Tell them how you felt at the time or what lesson you took away from it.

4. Make the card's recipient the main focus: In the card, talk about the recipient rather than yourself, and write about something that will make them smile. Include a few witty lines or overall, say something that you would like to hear from your closest friends and family.

 Be mindful of their ongoing situation such as-

• For good times: Remember to congratulate your recipient if they have recently achieved a milestone along with best wishes for their future endeavors. Mention how excited you are to celebrate together. You could write something like this in your cards for them: “I have heard the great news. Congratulations, my friend. Your commitment and hard work landed you this well-deserved position. I'm glad you were able to hang in there when things got tough and block out the negative energy.  Your success proves that if you work hard enough, positive things outcome is guaranteed. You inspire me every day. Merry Christmas and many more blessings!”
• For difficult times: Christmas does not have to be joyful for everyone. Acknowledge their situation if someone is experiencing hardship or illness. As you write the card, offer to help in any way that suits you. Here’s something you can try: “We wish you a meaningful holiday season. We know that this past year has been extremely difficult for you, and we hope that the holiday season brings you the peace and comfort at this trying time. May the coming year bring you better times. Merry Christmas and best wishes for a prosperous New Year.”

5. Include religious quotes: To make the messages even more meaningful, you can include religious verses or quotes from the Bible if your family is practicing. The elderly in your family, in particular, would probably appreciate reading something like that.  Here are two of my favorites:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

God never gives someone a gift they are not capable of receiving. If he gives us the gift of Christmas it is because we all have the ability to understand and receive it.

6. Save your heartfelt Christmas wish for the end: "All's well that ends well," as the saying goes. So, at the bottom of the card, write your heartfelt and sweetest Christmas wish. Include something they would never expect to hear from you, or you would never say to them in person. Your heartfelt message is the best holiday gift for your loved one. So, scribble down your thoughts and write a sappy Christmas letter. It is the perfect time to express all of your unspoken emotions.

7. Sign your Christmas card: 

Don't forget to sign off the card with your family's last name or the name of your children. If it's a business card, sign it with the company name. If you're making a card for a close friend, keep the closing casual or funny while signing with your name. Closings can be of several types. Such as -

• General closings can be for relatives and family members. For example,

“Much Love, The Swift Family”

“Merry Christmas to you and your family, Love Betty, James, and Inez.”

• Formal closings can be for coworkers and bosses or other superiors. Such as- “Best wishes from your friends at XYZ.”, “Merry Christmas from everyone at XYZ"
• For clients and customers: “Thanks for another great year and we look forward to working with you in the years to come, XYZ”, “Thank you for another year of support and friendship, Team Alpha”.
• For close friends, you can make the closing funny with a crazy greeting card for Christmas. Consider the following: “Believe in your elf, Augustine”. “Love you from head to mistletoe, Allison”

A final word of wisdom: Avoid spending a lot of money on holiday stationery. Simply use colored paper. You can also make your own card with photographs of yourself or your family and write your message on it. There are many websites that make this task easy for you. Simply upload your image and type your message in the textbox. You can use Canva to try different things with all of their ready-made templates and customization options. After that, you can send it however you like. You can have them printed at a nearby stationery store, or even better, you can post them to your social media accounts. In case you are sending out Christmas gifts, add cards with them.

It can be a daunting task to write all of these greeting cards for Christmas. I recommend that you find a quiet and inspiring place to sit down and write all of them. A Christmas soundtrack can be just what you need to get into the holiday spirit. You can solicit ideas from your children or other family members or take some pointers from our collection of Christmas greetings.