52 Christmas Card Sayings & Sentiments You Can Stamp

Part of our Card Ideas and Sentiments guides.

By Nic Magnuson, Unity Stamp Company, New London, Minnesota. Last updated October 2026.

Handmade Christmas card made with the Something about Christmas stamp set

Handmade Christmas card made with the Merry Whatever stamp set

Handmade Christmas card made with the Good Tidings stamp set

Handmade Christmas card made with the A Little Dash stamp set

Finished Christmas cards from Unity customers. There is a card sample under every group of sayings below, so keep scrolling.

Every December, the same small miracle: a stack of blank cards, a cup of something warm, and the question of what to write inside. Five cards or fifty, the sentiment is what turns pretty paper into something people keep. Here are 52 Christmas card sentiments, sorted by the kind of card you are making: short and simple, warm and classic, funny, faith-filled, one for the dog people, and a few for the Christmas that is not easy this year. Every one is a real Unity stamp, so click any line and you can stamp it into this year's batch.

If you are making the cards rather than just writing them, our handmade Christmas card ideas guide has twenty finished designs and a method for getting through fifty without hating it. This page is the words.

Christmas sentiment stamp sets

The Christmas card sayings on this page come from these rubber stamp sets. Every set is designed and made in our New London, Minnesota shop, and each one has a finished card sample further down.

Warmest Wishes: A wreath and the greeting in one press.
Something about Christmas: A snowman in a top hat with "There's something about Christmas time".
Merry Whatever: A reindeer who is over it, and "Deck the halls, or don't. Whatever."
Unto Us: The nativity drawn as the animals gathered at the manger, with "For unto us a Child is born".
Woofy Christmas: A pile of dogs stacked into a tree shape, with "Woofy Christmas!"
Joyous Comfort: "May the memories of those we love shine brightly this Christmas" with poinsettias around it.
Simple Little Wishes: A bare little tree with one ornament and "merriest little wishes".
Noel: Noel, Joy and Love as vintage tags.

42 sets are shown on this page in all, grouped by the kind of card you are making.

What to write in a Christmas card

The front carries the greeting. The inside carries one true line and your name. That is the whole formula, and it holds for the neighbor, the teacher, the cousin you see once a year and the friend who is having a hard December.

For most of the list: stamp a greeting on the front, write one sentence inside. "Thinking of you all this Christmas" or "Hope the new year is kind to you." Sign it. Done.
For close family: one specific memory from the year. "Still laughing about the canoe." That one line is what they will keep.
For someone grieving or struggling: skip "merry". Use one of the comfort lines below and write "Thinking of you especially this year" inside. Nothing else is needed.
For the friend who hates Christmas: that is what the snarky section is for.

Short & simple Christmas sayings

Two to four words, for the front of a small card or a tag, and for the year you are making forty of them.

Say It Big Holiday

Big block letters that spell MERRY, CHRISTMAS and HOLIDAYS, which is how you make a one word card feel finished. The card above is the word stacked on red with nothing else, and it is the fastest Christmas card on this page.

Warmest Wishes

A wreath and the greeting in one press. Stamped on kraft with a little color on the berries, it looks like it took an afternoon.

Noel

Noel, Joy and Love as vintage tags. The card above layers all three on a dark snowflake base with a ribbon, which is the one place on this page where the ribbon is earning its keep.

A Time of Peace

A small angel with a lamb and "Peace on Earth". The card above sets her against a navy night sky, and it is the Christmas card for people who do not send Christmas cards.

Warm and classic Christmas sentiments

The ones that sound like Christmas. For the relatives, the long list, and anybody who wants a card that looks like a card.

Something about Christmas

A snowman in a top hat with "There's something about Christmas time". The card above puts him on blue over a kraft band, which is the snowman card everyone ends up making.

Sending Christmas Smiles

A snowman with a long scarf and "You put the merry in my Christmas". The card above is him on navy with white splatter for snow, and it is a two color card that reads as a lot more.

Christmas Magic

A pickup with a tree in the bed. "Keep some Christmas magic in your heart wherever you go" is the line for the kid who moved away, and the truck is the image.

Good Tidings

Another truck, this one older, with "Good Tidings". The card above is the truck colored red on a plaid base, which is the card for the man on your list who is hard to buy for.

3 Times as Merry

A gnome with a tree and a string of lights, and "merry, merry, merry". The card above stamps him on wood grain with a big MERRY CHRISTMAS underneath.

A Little Ho-Ho-Ho

A Santa gnome and "Have a holly jolly everything". Round Santa, round frame, red and green mats. It is the card for the grandkids.

Christmas Crew

Three elves stacked on each other's shoulders with the full "We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year". The whole greeting is on the stamp, so the inside only needs a name.

A Little Dash

A reindeer with a scarf and "A little Christmas cheer for someone so dear". The card above puts him in front of a row of small green trees, and it is the sweetest card on this page.

A Wintry Hello

A stag and a line of pines with "Walking in a winter wonderland". The card above strings lights through his antlers. For the cabin people.

Winnie the Pooh: Merriest Time

Pooh decorating a tree, with "A Christmas wish from me to you". Christopher Robin's bear is the one Christmas image that works for an eight year old and an eighty year old on the same day.

Winnie the Pooh: Feel the Merry

Pooh and Christopher Robin at the tree, and "Family & friends are the truest joys of Christmas". The card above mats it on red and lets the drawing do the rest.

Winnie the Pooh: Holiday Exchange

Pooh and Piglet trading gifts, with the Milne line about a little consideration making all the difference. The card above is a tag on kraft, which is where that quote belongs.

Twinkling Joy

A kid tangled in a string of lights with the dog, and "May your season be merry and bright". The card for the family that decorates together and argues about it.

Funny and snarky Christmas sayings

For the friend who starts the countdown in October, and the one who would rather skip the whole month.

Merry Whatever

A reindeer who is over it, and "Deck the halls, or don't. Whatever." The card above is MERRY in red block letters with the reindeer glaring up at it, and it is our best-selling snarky Christmas set.

Ho Ho No Pissy Kitty

The grumpiest cat we make, in a Santa hat, with "Fa la la... blah, blah, blah" and "Santa is so judgy". The card above mats him on red and green, which only makes the expression funnier.

Frosty & Feisty Pissy Kitty

Same cat, winter hat, and "This is my joy to the world face". For the friend who is cold from October to April.

Hold on Santa

A wide-eyed bird in a stocking cap. "Hold on Santa, I can explain" and "Guess who's getting COAL for Christmas" are both on the set, and the underwear line is the one people quote back to us.

Winnie the Pooh: Pooh's List

Pooh with a checklist that reads Naughty, Nice, I tried. The card above checks the last box. It is snark you can send to your mother.

Snarky Holiday

A row of trees with "The tree isn't the only thing getting lit this year", plus "Fa la freaking la". The card above is three trees on a blue sky and the line underneath, and it goes to the friend who hosts.

Let's Get This Over With

An older couple on a bench and "May your holidays be merry, bright and over quickly". The card for the two of you who have done this forty times.

Don't Cluck With My Coffee

A chicken with a mug and "One more cup... then maybe I'll fa la la". For the person who needs December to start after nine.

Pawsitively Wrapped Up

A dog tangled in lights and "Definitely on the naughty list now". For the house where the tree has been knocked over at least once.

Holiday Flock Talk

Round birds in winter hats and "Flock yeah, it's Christmas!" Stamp one bird per card on kraft and the batch takes an evening.

More Sparkle, Less Stress

The wish everybody actually means. The card above is a snowed-in cabin on navy, and it is a card that works for the friend who is doing too much.

Faith-filled Christmas sentiments

For church friends, for the cards that carry the reason for the season, and for the year you want to say something quieter.

Unto Us

The nativity drawn as the animals gathered at the manger, with "For unto us a Child is born". It is the gentlest nativity we make and the one people frame.

Winter Blessings

Pine boughs and cones with "Wishing you a blessed winter, a merry Christmas & a happy New Year". The card above is the full greeting on kraft with one sprig, and it covers Christmas and New Year in one mailing.

Poinsettia Comfort

A poinsettia and "May the blessings of Christmas fill your home with joy". Colored red on cream with a wreath frame, it is the card for the pastor, the parents, the aunt who keeps every card.

All Peace. All Joy.

A pinecone and "May you find joy & peace this Christmas". Kraft base, one cone, the line underneath. A card that does not need to be Christmassy to be Christmas.

Winter Wonderland Walk

A row of bare pines and the words Peace, Love, Joy, Noel as small blocks. Stamp the trees in a soft green and the words in black, and it reads as a hymn.

For the dog and cat people

Three cards that will be the favorite in the house. You know whose house.

Woofy Christmas

A pile of dogs stacked into a tree shape, with "Woofy Christmas!" The card above cuts them into a triangle on red, which is the whole joke made visible.

Merry Catmas

The same idea with cats, who look less willing. "Merry Catmas!" and a stack of cats on a red polka dot base.

Feliz Navidog

A dog in a Santa hat with "We woof you a merry Christmas". The card above puts him on plaid with the full greeting, and it is the card from the dog.

For the Christmas that is not easy this year

Somebody on your list lost someone this year, or is sick, or is alone. A card that says merry at them is the wrong card. These three say something else.

Christmas Comfort is nothing but sentiments for exactly this card: "May loving memories bring you comfort and peace this Christmas" and "May the spirit of Christmas bring healing to your heart" among them. Stamp one on a kraft tag over a pine background and let the words be the card.

Joyous Comfort

"May the memories of those we love shine brightly this Christmas" with poinsettias around it. Stamp it on cream, color the flowers softly, and write "Thinking of you especially this year" inside.

If you need more than three lines for this, our guides to what to write in a sympathy card and what to write in an encouragement card go further, without the holly.

Making the whole batch in one sitting

Pick one greeting for the front and stamp it fifty times before you do anything else. Then one image, fifty times. Then write the insides. Doing it in passes rather than one card at a time is the difference between an evening and a week, and our stamps make it easy because the red rubber peels off the acrylic block in a second and the next one goes on.

Kraft, white and a deep red are the three card bases that make every Christmas image above look right. Save the patterned paper for the mat.

Stamps to pair with these sentiments

Every Unity stamp is deeply etched red rubber, made in our Minnesota shop. These are the sets we reach for first.

Simple Little Wishes

A bare little tree with one ornament and "merriest little wishes". The card above mats it on a red and green frame, and it is the set for the person who wants one Christmas stamp that does everything.

Frosty Comforts

A snowman in a top hat and the plainest "merry christmas" we print. White on white with a little blue, which is how a snowman card should look.

Whit's Weenies

Dachshunds in winter gear, with "Making spirits bright" and "Wishing you a jolly holiday". Three dogs in a row on white, red mat. People who do not have a dachshund buy this set.

Let It Snow

A child, a dog and a snowman, with "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" The card above layers it on a wood grain and plaid base, and it is the card for the grandparents.

Get Your Jingle

A girl in a knit hat and scarf with "Get your jingle on". For the friend who has the playlist ready on November first.

Browse all Christmas rubber stamps.

Common questions

What do you write in a Christmas card?

A greeting on the front and one true line inside, then your name. "Thinking of you all this Christmas" or "Hope the new year is kind to you" covers most of the list. For close family, one specific memory from the year does more than a paragraph.

What is a short Christmas card saying?

"Merry and bright.", "Comfort and joy.", "Peace on earth.", "Warmest wishes." and "Let it snow." are all two to four words, and every one is a stamp we print. Short works best on tags and on the year you are making forty cards.

What is a funny Christmas card message?

"Deck the halls, or don't. Whatever.", "Naughty. Nice. I tried.", "Fa la freaking la." and "May your holidays be merry, bright and over quickly." The snark lands best when the inside is sincere, so write one real line under it.

What do you write in a Christmas card for someone who is grieving?

Skip merry. Use "May loving memories bring you comfort and peace this Christmas" or "May the memories of those we love shine brightly this Christmas" on the front, and write "Thinking of you especially this year" inside. Nothing else is needed.

What is a religious Christmas card sentiment?

"For unto us a Child is born. Merry Christmas.", "Wishing you a blessed winter, a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.", "May the blessings of Christmas fill your home with joy." and "May you find joy and peace this Christmas." are the four we print most.

How many Christmas cards can you make in an evening?

Fifty, if you work in passes. Stamp every greeting first, then every image, then write the insides. Our stamps peel off the acrylic block in a second, so swapping is nothing. One card at a time takes a week.

More card-writing guides

Looking for a different occasion? Browse all our card sentiment guides. Over 400 sayings, every one available as a Unity stamp.

Nic Magnuson runs manufacturing at Unity Stamp Company, a family-owned stamp maker in New London, Minnesota, where every stamp is made in-house in red rubber. This page is updated every year.