The festive season is a special time of year for people all around the world, no matter which holiday you celebrate. Whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, Eid, or any other cultural celebration, there will be fun family traditions and joyful gatherings with friends and neighbors. 

Let’s take a look at some English vocabulary for expressing festive greetings for your friends and family, whether you’re wishing Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah. We’ll also explore ways of wishing your clients and colleagues all the best for the holidays, and finally share some festive idioms in English which you can practice and use during the holiday season. 

Wishing Merry Christmas and more to friends and family 

As the festive season approaches, lots of people exchange Christmas greetings and messages. Some people choose to send cards through the post, and other people send text messages, emails, or direct messages on social media channels like Instagram and Facebook. No matter the medium, here are some ways to wish your friends and family a festive season filled with warmth and happiness.

1. Traditional Greetings

Let’s begin with the classic greetings to wish family, friends and acquaintances all the best for the holiday season:

• “Merry Christmas!” is the quintessential greeting for Christmas.
• “Happy Hanukkah!” is a way of extending warm wishes to your Jewish friends celebrating Hanukkah.
• “Joyful Kwanzaa!” is a heartfelt greeting for those honoring Kwanzaa.
• “Happy New Year!” is a traditional greeting which welcomes the upcoming year with positivity and enthusiasm.

2. Festive Phrases

Once you’ve chosen the appropriate festive greeting, you might want to expand on your greeting and add a personal message or a festive phrase. Here are some ideas: 

• “Wishing you a season filled with love, laughter, and special moments.”
• “I hope you have a wonderful winter break with the family.”
• “Sending warm wishes your way for a joyful holiday season.”
• “Here’s to a festive season full of happiness and wonderful memories.”
• “Wishing you all the magic of the season and a fantastic year ahead.”

Wishing Merry Christmas to colleagues and clients

It’s very common to share festive greetings with your colleagues and clients before the holidays. But it can be hard to know how formal Christmas wishes should be. After all, it’s important to maintain your professionalism while spreading holiday cheer! Here are some thoughtful and business-appropriate festive greetings: 

1. Personal messages for colleagues

Sharing personal messages with colleagues before an end-of-year break is a good way of ending the year on a positive note, and making your coworkers feel motivated about the return to work in the new year. Here are some ideas: 

•  “As the year comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your hard work and dedication. Wishing you and your family happy holidays and a successful 2024 ahead.”
• “May this festive season bring you the well-deserved rest and relaxation you’ve earned throughout the year. Happy holidays and looking forward to a productive 2024 together.”
• “During this special time of year, I want to thank you for your continued support and collaboration. Here’s to a great holiday season and a successful 2024 ahead for our team.”

2. Formal Christmas wishes for clients

With clients, wishing Merry Christmas is an important part of that personal relationship – but at the same time, it’s a good idea to keep your communication formal and polite. Here are some phrases you can use to strike a balance between warmth and professionalism: 

• “We want to take a moment to express our sincere appreciation for your trust and partnership throughout the year. Wishing you and your team a joyful holiday season and a successful start to 2024.”
• “It’s been a pleasure working with you this year, and we’re looking forward to even greater achievements in the coming year. Wishing you and your clients a festive and prosperous [year] ahead.”
• “As we reflect on the year, we are grateful for the opportunity to work with you and your organization. Wishing you a joyful holiday season filled with happiness and success in 2024.”

Seven festive idioms in English

Idioms often reveal cultural nuances in a language. As the festive season looms large in English-speaking cultures, it’s no surprise that there are lots of related idioms to help you add some color to your English conversations:

1. “Deck the halls”

The idiom “deck the halls” means to decorate or adorn a place, typically with festive decorations and ornaments, especially in preparation for a holiday or celebration, like Christmas. It comes from the lyrics of a traditional Christmas carol, “Deck the Halls”.

“The volunteers worked tirelessly to deck the halls of the community center, turning it into a winter wonderland for the annual holiday celebration.”

2. “To be there with bells on”

The idiom “to be there with bells on” means to be eager and enthusiastic about attending an event or gathering. It implies a strong willingness and excitement to participate.

“When they invited me to their New Years party, I told them I’d be there with bells on because I just love a New Years Eve party.”  

3. “Trim the tree”

This idiom doesn’t mean cutting the Christmas tree! Instead, if someone talks about “trimming the tree”, it usually refers to decorating the Christmas tree with ornaments, lights, tinsel, and other festive decorations, typically as part of the holiday tradition.

“Every year, we gather as a family to trim the tree, reminiscing about the ornaments collected over the years.”

4. “Tis the season”

The idiom “‘Tis the season” also comes from the Christmas carol “Deck the Halls”. It is often used to refer to a specific time of year when something is in abundance or at its peak, and it’s typically associated with the holiday season, especially Christmas. The lyric from the carol is “‘Tis the season to be jolly” but people usually just say “Tis the season”. 

“The stores are filled with holiday decorations – ’tis the season for festive gatherings and spreading cheer.”

5. “The more the merrier”

“The more, the merrier” suggests that a larger number of people or participants will make an event or gathering more enjoyable and festive. It implies that the presence of additional people adds to the fun and enjoyment of a situation.

“Feel free to invite your flatmates to our Christmas party – ‘the more, the merrier! We just want everyone to have a great time.”

Whether you’re spreading cheer among friends and family or maintaining professionalism with colleagues and clients, these warm wishes and colorful idioms will enrich your holiday conversations. If you’d like to practice using these phrases in English conversation, ELSA AI can help you to create a Christmas roleplay and give you feedback on how well you do at using festive idioms and wishing Merry Christmas to friends and colleagues!

Looking to help the little ones at home learn some Christmas vocabulary? Learn more in this blog.