“Happy holidays and happy new year, two big greetings squeezed into one line, and that’s exactly why so many people freeze at the blank card.
Getting it right means blending warmth for the season closing with excitement for the one about to start, in one clean, natural sentence. This guide gives you the exact words, by recipient, tone, and length, so you never stare at a blank card again.”
“Quick Answer“
A good happy holidays and happy new year message thanks the year that’s ending, wishes rest or joy for the holidays, and adds hope for what’s next. Example: “Wishing you happy holidays and a bright, happy new year, may 2026 bring you even more to celebrate.”
“How to Wish Someone Happy Holidays and Happy New Year (Write Your Own Message)”
“Whether you’re wondering how to say it in a card, a text, or an email, you don’t need a template you copy word-for-word you need a formula.”
- Open warm: Start with the greeting itself, “Happy holidays and an even happier new year!”
- Add one real detail: Mention something specific, a shared memory, a project you finished together, or a trait you appreciate. This is the line that makes it feel personal, not copy-pasted.
- Close forward: End on 2026, a hope, a wish, or a plan (“Can’t wait to see what next year brings for us”).
That’s it. Greeting, detail, forward-look. Swap the detail and you have a fresh message for every person on your list in under 30 seconds.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year Messages for Family and Friends
These are the people who get the most personal version, feel free to reference inside jokes or shared plans for 2026.
- “To my favorite people this season, thank you for the best year yet, and here’s to an even better one ahead.”
- “Wishing you warmth this season and a fresh start ahead, everything that made you smile this year, times two.”
- “From our house to yours: warm wishes for the season and an even brighter one ahead. See you at midnight!”
- “Season’s greetings to you! Grateful for every dinner, every laugh, every ‘just five more minutes’ this year.”
- Wishing you happy holidays and a happy new year a cozy season and a loud, bright send-off into next year.
- “Wishing you the best this season, may 2026 bring you exactly what you’ve been working toward.”
- “Merry everything and a happy new year, friend. Thank you for being my person this year.”
- “To the family that always shows up, thank you for this year, and here’s to next year’s traditions.”
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year Wishes for Coworkers and Clients
If you’re wondering how do you wish someone a happy holiday professionally, keep it warm but not overly familiar, skip religious references unless you know the person well, and always mention the year ahead in a business context.
- “Season’s greetings, thank you for a great year of collaboration. Looking forward to 2026!”
- “Wishing your team a restful season and a successful year ahead.”
- “Happy holidays! Thank you for your partnership this year, here’s to an even better 2026 together.”
- “Warm wishes for the season from all of us at [Company Name]. We’re grateful for your business.”
- “As the year wraps up, thank you and enjoy the season, excited for what we’ll build together next.”
- “To a fantastic team: enjoy the season. Rest up, 2026 has big things in store.”
A quick grammar note: “wishing you a happy holidays” is technically off, “holidays” is already plural, so it doesn’t take “a.” The clean version is simply “wishing you happy holidays” or “wishing you a happy holiday season.”
Short, “Funny“, and Cute Season’s Wishes
Not every card needs three sentences. Here’s the range, from sweet to silly.
“Short Wishes” (Text or Card-Length)
- “Warm wishes this season! “
- “Cheers to this season and an even better one ahead.”
- “Cheers to the season, 2026-bound and ready.”
“Cute Wishes“
- “Enjoy the season, may your hot cocoa be plentiful and your resolutions actually stick.”
- “Wrapping up the year with a big virtual hug for the season ahead.”
“Funny Wishes“
- “Enjoy the season! May your gym membership resolution last longer than mine did last January.”
- “Cheers to the season, same energy, new spreadsheet of resolutions I won’t finish.”
- “Enjoy the season! Here’s to eating the same amount of cookies but calling it ‘festive.'”
“Happy Holidays and Happy New Year in Spanish”
For bilingual cards, family, or clients, here’s how to say it naturally rather than a stiff word-for-word translation.
- Felices fiestas y feliz año nuevo, the standard, most common version.
- Te deseo felices fiestas y un próspero año nuevo”, adds “prosperous,” a warmer, more traditional touch.
- Felices fiestas y que el 2026 te traiga mucha felicidad” “happy holidays, and may 2026 bring you much happiness.”
Happy “Holidays” and Happy New Year Images, GIFs, and Clipart
“If words aren’t enough, pair your message with visuals. Here’s where to find each type without running into copyright issues:
“Images”
Use Unsplash, Pexels, or Canva’s free tier for commercial-use or Creative Commons photos — never pull from a random search engine result.”
“GIFs”
GIPHY and Canva both host shareable, license-safe animated options, including 2026-dated designs.”
“Clipart“
Look for PNG files with transparent backgrounds so they drop cleanly into cards, newsletters, or an email signature.”
“Cute Designs”
Canva’s template search (try ‘cute holiday greeting’) turns up pastel, minimalist, and hand-lettered styles that skew less corporate than stock clipart.”
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year Email Signature
If you’re sending business or client emails through the season, a signature line does the work without needing a separate message. A few ready-to-use options:
- Wishing you happy holidays and a happy new year — [Your Name], [Company]
- Happy holidays and all the best in 2026 — [Your Name]
- Season’s greetings and a happy new year from all of us at [Company]
Keep it to one line, use a transparent-background PNG or small GIF from the sources above if you want a visual, and swap it back to your standard signature by mid-January.
Merry Christmas, Happy “Holidays“, and Happy New Year: What’s the Difference?
These three greetings merry Christmas, happy holidays, and happy new year — often get combined into one line, but they’re not interchangeable. ‘Merry Christmas’ is specific to one holiday and one faith tradition. ‘Happy holidays’ is the inclusive, catch-all version that covers Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the season generally, which is why all three greetings often get combined in one card to cover every base.
Use “merry Christmas” only when you know the recipient celebrates it; default to “happy holidays” for coworkers, clients, or mixed groups, and add “happy new year” to either one to bridge into January.
| Situation | Best Phrase to Use |
|---|---|
| Close family who celebrates Christmas | “Merry Christmas and happy new year” |
| Coworkers, clients, or unknown beliefs | “Season’s greetings, and all the best in 2026” |
| Mixed group or company-wide card | “Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and happy new year” |
| Non-Christian friend or interfaith household | “Season’s greetings, and all the best in 2026” |
Etiquette: Who Should Send This, and When
Send season’s greetings to anyone outside your closest circle, coworkers, clients, neighbors, teachers, service providers, where you’re unsure of their specific religious traditions. The ideal window is the two weeks before Christmas through January 1st; sending after New Year’s Day starts to feel like an afterthought. It’s never inappropriate to skip a card entirely, but a short text or email costs nothing and is always well received. For [Christmas card wording ideas], a [holiday party planning checklist], or a [New Year’s Eve toast guide], CelebrationsAura has you covered on what comes next.
FINAL Thoughts
However you send it, happy holidays and happy new year is one of the easiest ways to close out the year with warmth and open the next one with hope. Pick a message from the family, professional, or short-and-sweet list above, add the one personal detail that makes it yours, and send it before the season slips by. Whether it’s a card, a text, or a GIF-filled email signature, the words matter less than the fact that you took the minute to send them. Here’s to a happy holidays and an even happier new year, go make someone’s day.
FAQs
A good message combines a warm sign-off for the current season with a hopeful line about the year ahead, like “Wishing you a wonderful season and an even better 2026.” Adding one personal detail always beats a generic line.
It’s “happy holidays,” without “a” the word “holidays” is already plural, so adding the article is grammatically incorrect. “Wishing you happy holidays” or “wishing you a happy holiday season” are both correct.
Keep it warm but neutral: thank them for the year, wish them happy holidays and a happy new year, and mention looking forward to working together in the new year. Skip religious references unless you know the recipient well.
Yes, it’s always a safe, inclusive option even for people who celebrate Christmas specifically. If you know them well and know they celebrate Christmas, “merry Christmas and happy new year” is a warmer, more specific alternative.
The best window is early-to-mid December through January 1st. Sending after that date is still fine for close friends and family, but for work contacts, aim to send before the season begins.
Yes, a short one-line version works well, like “Wishing you happy holidays and a happy new year” or “Happy holidays and all the best in 2026.” Keep it to one line and swap it back to your standard signature by mid-January.
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