Spanish Christmas Card Messages

Lines for a card going to a Spanish-speaking family, with what each one actually says underneath. Write the Spanish, sign your own name, and do not apologise for the accents.

The short ones

Any of these is a complete card. The first is the one everybody knows, and it is not a lesser choice for that.

1 Feliz Navidad.
Merry Christmas.

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2 Feliz Navidad y próspero año nuevo.
Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.

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3 Felices fiestas.
Happy holidays — the neutral one, used across the whole season.

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4 Que pases una Navidad muy feliz.
Wishing you a very happy Christmas.

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5 Felices fiestas y un buen comienzo de año.
Happy holidays and a good start to the year.

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For family

6 Feliz Navidad. Los echamos mucho de menos este año.
Merry Christmas. We miss you all a lot this year.

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7 Feliz Navidad a toda la familia, con mucho cariño.
Merry Christmas to the whole family, with much love.

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8 Que pasen unas fiestas llenas de salud y de gente querida.
Wishing you a season full of health and people you love.

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9 Feliz Navidad. Gracias por todo este año.
Merry Christmas. Thank you for everything this year.

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For friends

10 Feliz Navidad. Que este año te trate mejor que el anterior.
Merry Christmas. May this year treat you better than the last one.

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11 Feliz Navidad. Nos vemos en el año nuevo.
Merry Christmas. See you in the new year.

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12 Feliz Navidad. Come mucho y no te preocupes por nada.
Merry Christmas. Eat a lot and do not worry about anything.

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Formal, for work or for someone you address as usted

Spanish separates the polite you from the familiar one. These use the polite form; the lines above use the familiar.

13 Le deseamos una feliz Navidad y un excelente año nuevo.
We wish you a merry Christmas and an excellent new year.

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14 Felices fiestas, con nuestro agradecimiento por este año.
Happy holidays, with our thanks for this year.

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15 Reciba un cordial saludo y los mejores deseos para el año nuevo.
With warm regards and best wishes for the new year.

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With faith in it

16 Que la paz de esta Navidad esté con ustedes.
May the peace of this Christmas be with you.

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17 Feliz Navidad y muchas bendiciones para el año nuevo.
Merry Christmas and many blessings for the new year.

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Sign-offs

18 Con cariño,
With love — the standard warm sign-off between friends and family.

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19 Un abrazo,
A hug — very common, warmer than it looks in English.

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20 Un cordial saludo,
Kind regards — the correct formal close.

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Questions people actually ask

How do you say Merry Christmas in Spanish on a card?

"Feliz Navidad." With a wish for the new year attached it becomes "Feliz Navidad y próspero año nuevo", which is the full traditional greeting and fits any card.

What is the difference between Feliz Navidad and Felices Fiestas?

Feliz Navidad names Christmas itself. Felices fiestas covers the whole season and is the neutral choice when you do not know whether the recipient celebrates Christmas.

Should I write the card in Spanish if my Spanish is poor?

Yes — copy one short line correctly rather than attempting a paragraph. The effort registers, and a short accurate greeting reads better than a long translated one.