Go a step beyond the standard season's greetings with the perfect message for your holiday cards, toasts, or notes to friends and family. The pressure to write a meaningful message is real, but you've got this. Get inspired with these unique and fun variations on how to say happy holidays.
Festive Longer Messages to Say Happy Holidays
If you're giving a holiday toast or speech or want to write a longer message in a card or note, these examples can help get you started. Put your own spin on them by adding names, specific details, and other personalized touches.
- As I look around at all the holiday festivities and beautiful traditions of the season, it makes me appreciate of my friends and family more than ever. Sharing these good times with you doubles the joy I feel. Wishing you a holiday season filled with love.
- I'm realizing that meaningful holidays aren't about the sparkle as much as they are about the special. Here's hoping your holiday glitters and gleams with meaning and joy.
- We mark the passing of time in our joyous annual holiday celebrations, and as I think back on this year, I feel lucky. Here's hoping your year has been filled with joyful moments and that you are sharing your holidays with those you love.
- Amid all the gift wrapping, list making, tree decorating, and cookie baking, I'm wishing you a moment of peace and a chance to breathe. Life's such a rush these days, but I'm grateful for you and hoping your holiday season is full of joy.
- Happy Kwanzaa! Blessed Solstice! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! No matter what holiday you celebrate, I'm wishing you a wonderful one shared with those you love.
Short Ways to Say Happy Holidays and Spread Cheer
Sometimes, a short and sweet holiday message is the way to go. These simple greetings are perfect for sharing with friends on Instagram or adding to your holiday cards or gift tags.
- Hope your holiday is holi-yay this year!
- Wishing you all the joys of this joyful season.
- Eat all the treats and enjoy all the traditions this holiday.
- Celebrate the season with love.
- Wishing you your best holiday season ever.
- I'm grateful for you in this special season.
- You make my holidays happy. Wishing you just as much joy.
- May your holiday season be full of magic.
- May your celebrations glitter with joy this season.
- Thinking of you with love amid all the magic of the holidays.
- Wishing you the best gifts of joy, peace, and love.
- From our family to your family, we hope you are having a joyful holiday season.
- Sending you good cheer and lots of love!
- Hope you're staying cozy with your loved ones during this special time of year.
- Here's hoping blessings fall on your as thickly as snowflakes this year.
- All the joy of this wondrous season to you and yours!
- May your celebration be filled with love and the year ahead with blessings.
- Make the most of this special season with some tasty treats and lots of love.
- Here's hoping you make some wonderful holiday memories this year!
- All the best to you and yours as you celebrate the season.
Professional Ways to Say Season's Greetings
It's proper etiquette to keep your greetings general and inclusive, especially if you don't know which holiday your clients, coworkers, or boss might celebrate. Try one of these ways to wish anyone a professional, but still meaningful, happy holiday:
- Season's greetings to you and yours!
- Hope you have a joyful holiday with those you love.
- Thanks for all your hard work this year. Enjoy the holidays!
- Wishing you a happy holiday celebration.
- We hope your season is filled with warmth and peace.
- Looking forward to a new year collaborating with you! Season's greetings!
- Here's hoping your holiday plans are even more fun than you're anticipating.
- Enjoy the season with those you love!
- Sending you gratitude and good wishes for a joyful holiday.
- Wishing you all the best of this special season.
Inclusive Holiday Greetings for Everyone You Know
Rather than wishing people a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah and assuming they celebrate the same way you do, it's much more polite to be inclusive in your greetings. That doesn't mean you have to stick to the standard "Happy Holidays," though. You can acknowledge that people celebrate differently with one of these options:
- No matter how you're celebrating this year, I'm wishing you plenty of joy.
- There are so many ways to celebrate the season. Here's hoping yours is full of love.
- Merry everything!
- Whatever you're celebrating this season, I hope your festivities are full of joy.
- Celebrate with love and happiness this year!
- May you have the best holiday ever, whether it's Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or anything else.
- No matter what reason you're celebrating this season, I hope it's the best holiday ever.
- Whatever you're celebrating, be happy and merry this holiday season!
- Wishing you joy in every kind of holiday celebration.
- Happy anything you celebrate!
- Have a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year.
- This is the most wonderful time of the year! Happy everything!
- Holidays are like cookies - they're all pretty great. Hope you are enjoying your celebration.
- Any way you celebrate it, this is the season of joy. Hope yours is wonderful.
- Enjoy the holidays - any way you celebrate.
When to Say "Happy Holidays" Instead of Other Greetings
If you're like many people, you grew up saying "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hanukkah." There's nothing wrong with a holiday-specific greeting, except that it's not as inclusive. When you wish someone a merry Christmas, you're assuming that they celebrate Christmas. If they don't, this can be a bit off-putting for them. This matters more in some situations than it others. Here are a few times when you should keep your season's greetings more general:
- Professional relationships - You may not know the religious or cultural background of everyone you interact with professionally, so it's best to say happy holidays in a more general way. You can still use a variation like one of those above to give a unique greeting, though.
- Acquaintances - If you don't know what holiday someone celebrates, stick to one of the many ways to say happy holidays.
- People of other religions - When you know someone celebrates a different holiday than you do, it's better to stick to a more general seasonal greeting.
What Matters Is Your Good Wishes
Whether you're expressing your holiday wishes in a card or simply greeting friends, knowing how to say happy holidays in a few different ways can come in handy. Ultimately, what matters is your good wishes and that you're thinking of friends and family during this season. As long as your greeting is inclusive, you can't go wrong.
