The holiday season is upon us. With the candy canes, sugarplums, and mistletoe also come cards, Christmas greetings, messages from family, friends, and co-workers. While this is all in the spirit of the festivities, where things get a little tricky is finding the right words for the right occasion.
In this article, we’ll go over 10 greetings – some more common than others – that English speakers use over Christmas and New Year’s. We’ll relate each to a particular occasion to ensure you don’t end up embarrassing yourself when trying to return someone’s well wishes over the holidays. And we’ll wrap up with some useful pointers of how to fill your downtime during Christmas break.
1. “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!”
Let’s start with an all-time classic. Whether it’s your friends, co-workers, or family you’re turning to, this simple, sleek Christmas greeting conveys just enough holiday spirit to not be invasive. Yet it’s discreet enough to be universally applicable. Don’t overuse it though, or you run the risk of appearing uninvolved in the festivities.
2. “Season’s Greetings!”
Another non-descript greeting that you can use in practically any situation. Though this phrase has a more formal tinge to it. It’s the perfect opener for a card dedicated to your teacher, boss, or another person who you don’t necessarily consider near and dear to your heart.
3. “May your home be filled with light and laughter this season!”
Christmas is after all a family holiday. Everyone hurries home to get together with their ma, pa and nan, baby cousins and siblings. This Christmas greeting perfectly captures the atmosphere of a full house during the holidays. It’s a more traditional turn of phrase that would appeal to someone with a big family.
4. “Countless blessings to you and yours!”
Yes, holidays are for family but it’s not uncommon for people in English speaking countries to bring partners, friends, or even colleagues to Christmas dinners. If you’ve been invited to Christmas dinner at someone’s house, this is a great way to start your response. It’s another one of those classic, slightly archaic Christmas greetings that still warm the heart.
5. “Wishing you safe travels and that you become closer to all those that you treasure in your heart this Christmas season. “
As the old saying goes, “At Christmas all roads lead home”. And indeed, many people travel over the holiday season to return to their families in different cities, states, and even countries. Show that you care for their wellbeing and safety during their journeys home with this thoughtful Christmas greeting.
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6. “Enjoy a well-deserved rest and time with family this Christmas.”
For most of us, Christmas is a time off work with family and friends. But also, it’s a time to be kind to one another and this includes our co-workers among others. A nice, considerate greeting like this one can go a long way in establishing good office relations, mending old feuds, or building new friendships at work.
7. “You make work cheery and festive — just like this Christmas season.”
If you want to go the extra mile with that special colleague you are particularly fond of, this Christmas greeting is perfect for the occasion. It’s both cute and professional, and you’re not overstepping any boundaries. Of course, your boss might not be particularly fond of such a greeting, but a friend at work will certainly appreciate it.
8. “My Christmas wish came true — I get to spend it with you!”
Here we’re entering the territory of Love. This greeting is intended for your special someone at Christmas. It’s both romantic and cute and shows just how much you care about the recipient. Even if you don’t actually spend the holidays together, it can be used metaphorically to mean: “I’m happy I have you in my life.”
9. “The best present I could’ve asked for is spending time with you this Christmas.”
Of course, what is Christmas without presents? But sometimes being present in someone’s life or by their side over the holidays is a lot more valuable than the stuff you wrap up in ribbons. This greeting is perfect if you’ve been away from someone you care about and love and you’ve been reunited over the holidays.
10. “Let’s be naughty and save Santa a trip.”
Want to get a little cheeky over Christmas? Here’s the perfect greeting for that. Tuck this into a card for your paramour and you’re sure to get that kiss under the mistletoe. The origin of this phrase is the famous ‘naughty and nice’ list that Santa allegedly keeps of all children on Earth.
The Christmas spirit can be conveyed in many ways. From strictly professional to cheeky, the greetings we use to bring one another joy over the festive season are both useful and fun to learn. Similar to American slang phrases, these expressions bring some color to our everyday speech. Moreover, they help you sound more like a native and immerse yourself in English-speaking culture.
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