Christmas Card Messages for Employees and Clients

The year-end card is one of the few times a business gets to say thank you without selling anything. Done well, it's remembered. Done badly, it's a logo on a stock photo that goes straight into the recycling.

It also matters more than it looks. In research by Gallup and Workhuman, employees who didn't feel recognized were about twice as likely to say they planned to leave as those who did, 51 percent versus 25 percent (Gallup). A card doesn't fix pay or workload, but genuine recognition is part of why people stay. And small, specific thanks are often what people value most (HBR). Even a single letter helps: in one study reported by Harvard Business Review, social workers who received a letter of appreciation felt significantly more valued and more supported by their organization a month later (HBR).

For your team

Thank the team for something specific about this year, then wish them a real rest.

For the whole team

Thank you for an incredible year. We couldn't have done any of it without you.
This team handled a hard year with grace and humor. Thank you, and merry Christmas.
Thank you for the late nights, the good ideas and the patience. Enjoy a well-earned break.
Wishing you and your family a restful holiday. See you in the new year, rested.

For a small team you know well

From the Monday stand-ups to the Friday wins, thank you for every bit of it.
Best team I've ever worked with, and I mean it. Merry Christmas to all of you.

For one employee

A personal line is what turns a company card into a keepsake. If you manage people, write one sentence per person about something they did this year.

Thank you for leading the launch this spring. It changed what this team believes it can do.
Your calm made every hard week easier. Thank you, and merry Christmas.
Watching you grow into your role this year has been a highlight. Thank you.
The customer email you wrote in June is still the one we share with new hires. Thank you.

For clients

Thank them for the relationship, not the revenue. Keeping good customers is worth a great deal: Bain and Company research cited in Harvard Business Review found that a five percent rise in retention can lift profits by 25 to 95 percent (HBR).

For a long-standing client

Thank you for your trust and partnership this year. Wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Another year together, and still a pleasure every time. Warm wishes for the holidays.

For a newer client

It's been a pleasure getting to know you this year. Warm wishes for the holidays from all of us.
Thank you for choosing us. Here's to an even better year ahead.

Inclusive wording

If you don't know what your recipients celebrate, "Happy holidays" or "Season's greetings" is always safe. For a mixed list, many businesses use "Warm wishes for the holidays and the new year." Avoid religious imagery on a card that goes to everyone.

What to avoid

Don't put a sales message, a discount or next year's price list in a thank-you card. Don't sign it only with the company name; a real signature from a real person is what makes it feel personal. And don't send it on December 23, when half the team and most clients have already gone.

Sending at scale

Writing a hundred cards by hand isn't realistic, but a hundred identical cards isn't meaningful either. The middle path is one well-written message with each person's name and one line you write for each.

With GreetSpark for business, you upload a list once and every letter goes out from your own company domain with each person's name and your line for them. It can be timed to arrive on the same morning everywhere, and you can see who opened it.

For more lines, see our guides on what to write in a holiday card and what to write in a work anniversary card.