What should you write in a business holiday card? Three lines, no more. Thank them for the year. Name one real thing about working together. Point warmly toward what’s next. Keep the wording inclusive (“Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” cover everyone), keep it short, and sign it yourself. The same three-line shape works whether the card is going to your biggest client or the intern who started in October.
The Value of Sending Business Holiday Cards
Most of what lands in your clients’ mailboxes this month is trying to sell them something. Your card isn’t. That’s exactly why it gets opened, read, and, if you’re lucky, taped to a monitor for this time of year.
It’s a low-effort excuse to reconnect with the account that’s gone quiet, thank the supplier who bailed you out in October, and tell your team you saw what they did this year. An email disappears in a scroll. A card with your logo on it sits on a desk for weeks.
Professional Holiday Card Etiquette in Brief
- Mail cards so they arrive between December 1 and December 15, before the rush.
- Use “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” unless you know the recipient celebrates Christmas.
- Handwrite the signature, and the address too if your list is small.
- Name the person and their company rather than opening with “Dear Valued Customer.”
- Leave out discount codes, product news, and anything that reads like a pitch.
- Send to the individual you work with, not to a general company inbox.
Professional Client Appreciation Messages
A card that says “Thank you for your business” could be from anyone. These holiday card messages for clients work because they point at something real: a project, a deadline you both survived, a call that ran long because you were laughing too much.
Pick a template below, then swap in that one detail only you two would recognize.
For long-standing clients:
- 1. “Thank you for another year of working together. We’ve loved watching your business grow, and we’re glad to be part of it. Happy Holidays from all of us.”
- 2. “Five years of projects and counting. Thanks for your trust, [Name]. Here’s to the next one.”
- 3. “Your team makes our work a pleasure. Wishing you a restful holiday season and a strong start to the new year.”
For new clients:
- 4. “We’re glad you chose us this year, [Name]. Welcome to the family, and happy holidays.”
- 5. “Thanks for taking a chance on us in [Year]. We can’t wait to show you what we’ll do together next.”
- 6. “It’s been a great first few months. Wishing you and your team a wonderful holiday season.”
For clients you’d like to reconnect with:
- 7. “We were thinking of you this season, [Name]. Thanks for everything you’ve brought to our work. Hope you have a great holiday season.”
- 8. “It’s been a while, and we still appreciate you. Wishing your whole team a happy holiday season.”
- Short messages for small cards:
- 9. “Thanks for a wonderful year. Happy Holidays.”
- 10. “Grateful for your business, and for you. Season’s Greetings.”
- 11. “Here’s to a bright [Year]. Thank you for your partnership.”
Vendor & Partner Holiday Greetings
Nobody sends a vendor a thank-you note in July when the shipment arrives early or the contractor stays late to hit your deadline. December is your chance to fix that. These corporate holiday greetings take five minutes to write and cost you a stamp, and they’re often the only appreciation that suppliers get all year.
- 12. “Thank you for keeping us stocked, on schedule, and out of trouble all year. Happy Holidays from the team at [Company].”
- 13. “Working with you makes our jobs easier. We appreciate you, [Name]. Wishing you a great holiday season.”
- 14. “Thanks for every referral you sent our way this year. They mean a lot. Happy Holidays.”
- 15. “You’ve been a steady partner through a busy year. We’re grateful, and we’re looking forward to [Year] together.”
- 16. “Thank you for the late nights and the quick turnarounds. We noticed. Season’s Greetings.”
- 17. “Here’s to another year of good work together. Happy Holidays from all of us at [Company].”
- 18. “Our clients get better results because of what you do. Thank you, and enjoy the season.”
- 19. “Wishing you and your crew a well-earned break. Thanks for a great [Year].”
Employee & Team Appreciation Notes
Team cards should sound like a person wrote them, because one did. Name the contribution when you can.
For individual employees:
- 20. “[Name], your work on [project] changed how we do things around here. Thank you, and enjoy the break.”
- 21. “You showed up for this team all year, in the busy weeks and the quiet ones. We’re lucky to have you.”
- 22. “Thanks for the ideas, the patience, and the good humor. Happy Holidays.”
- 23. “Your first year with us has been a great one. Here’s to many more.”
For the whole team:
- 24. “What a year. Thank you for every bit of it. Rest up, and we’ll see you in [Year].”
- 25. “This team handled everything [Year] threw at us. We’re proud of you. Happy Holidays.”
- 26. “Thank you for the work you do, and for the people you are. Season’s Greetings from the leadership team.”
For remote and distributed teams:
- 27. “Different cities, one team. Thanks for making that work all year. Happy Holidays.”
- 28. “We may not share an office, but we share the wins. Thank you for a strong [Year].”
Short notes for gift-card enclosures:
- 29. “Thank you for everything. Enjoy something on us.”
- 30. “Well earned. Happy Holidays.”
- 31. “For a break you deserve. Thanks for a great year.”
Branding Your Corporate Holiday Cards
Words carry the message, but the card does the introduction. Your logo hits the recipient’s eye a full second before your signature does, and by then they’ve already placed you. A card without a mark on it is just paper. A card with your logo is a small, well-timed piece of marketing that nobody will call marketing.
Logo Cards vs. Photo Cards
| Card Type | Best For | Why It Works |
| Logo cards | Clients, vendors, and partners | Clean, professional, and consistent with the rest of your brand. Works for any company size. |
| Team photo cards | Small businesses and close accounts | Puts faces to the company name. Warmer and harder to throw away. |
| Logo plus photo | Service businesses with client-facing staff | Combines recognition with the personal touch. |
If you’re sending to a mixed list, order both. Logo cards go to formal accounts, and photo cards go to the clients you talk to every week.
Image Requirements for Your Logo
Upload your logo as a transparent PNG at 799 pixels wide or larger. Transparency lets your mark sit cleanly on colored and patterned card designs instead of showing a white box behind it. Anything smaller than 799 pixels can print soft or pixelated, and a blurry logo undoes the whole point of a branded card.
If you don’t have a print-ready file, you can build one with LogoMaker in a few minutes and download it in the right format.
Logistics for Ordering Corporate Cards
Ordering Minimums
You can order business holiday cards starting at 10 cards, so a small client list or a team of eight doesn’t force you into a box of 250 you’ll never use. Order in the quantity you’ll actually send, then reorder if your list grows.
Deadlines and Free Envelopes
Envelopes come free with every order, so budget for the cards and postage only. Work backward from delivery to get your corporate holiday greetings in mailboxes on time. If you want cards delivered by December 15, order by the last week of November to leave room for printing, shipping, and signing. Domestic mail slows down through December, and international cards need an extra two weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you write in a business holiday card to a client?
Thank them for the year, mention one specific project or moment, and wish them well for the new year. Keep it to two or three sentences and sign by hand.
Should business holiday cards say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?
Use “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” for business lists. Both work for every recipient, and neither assumes what anyone celebrates.
When should you send corporate holiday cards?
Mail them so they arrive between December 1 and December 15. Place your order by late November to leave time for printing and shipping.
How long should a business holiday card message be?
Two to three sentences, or 25 to 50 words. Short messages get read, and long ones get skimmed.
Should you sign business holiday cards by hand?
Yes. A handwritten signature is the difference between a card and a mailer. If your list is large, split the signing across your leadership team.
