A short holiday message to colleagues is one of the most useful things to have ready and one of the easiest to get slightly wrong. Too formal and it feels cold. Too familiar and it feels awkward. Too long and it becomes another thing to read. The right version is a few lines, warm, specific, and respectful of the fact that the person receiving it also has a full inbox.
This page has the best short holiday and Christmas messages for colleagues and coworkers, sorted by context, with examples for every situation.
Key Takeaways
- A short holiday message to a colleague should be three to five lines maximum. One line acknowledging the year or the relationship, one warm wish for the season, optionally one line about the new year.
- Specific beats generic every time. “It has been a good year working alongside you” lands differently from “wishing you a wonderful holiday season.”
- Pair your message with a ForestNation Gift Story for a colleague whose work you want to recognise: a tree in their name in Tanzania, your personal message inside, delivered to their email. You can create your message free at giftstory.ai. Your first send is free, and every Gift Story after that plants at least one tree, at $1 per tree. See ForestNation Gift Stories.
Short Holiday Messages for Colleagues
- Happy holidays! It has been a good year working alongside you. Wishing you a proper rest and a strong start to the new year.
- Season’s greetings, wishing you a peaceful holiday and everything good in the year ahead.
- Happy holidays. You have made this year better. Wishing you a wonderful break.
- Warmest holiday wishes. Here is to a restful season and a great new year.
- Happy holidays! Enjoy every moment of the break, you have earned it.
- Season’s greetings. Wishing you and yours a peaceful and joyful holiday.
- Happy holidays. Here is to good rest, good food, and a strong new year.
- Warmest wishes for the holiday season, thank you for everything this year.
Short Christmas Messages for Colleagues
- Merry Christmas! It has been a good year working with you. Wishing you a proper break and a strong start to January.
- Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Thank you for making the busy weeks easier this year.
- Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and a well earned rest. See you in the new year.
- Merry Christmas. Hope you get real time off and good company over the break.
- Happy Christmas. It has been a pleasure working alongside you this year. Enjoy every bit of the holiday.
- Merry Christmas to you and yours. Thank you for the steady work and good humour all year.
Looking for something longer, or messages sorted by relationship? See our full list of Christmas greetings for colleagues.
Short Holiday Messages for Coworkers You Do Not Know Well
- Happy holidays, wishing you a restful break and a great new year.
- Season’s greetings. Hope the holiday season brings you everything you need.
- Wishing you a wonderful holiday. It has been good working alongside you this year.
- Happy holidays and a great new year to you.
- Happy holidays. I hope the break gives you a proper chance to switch off.
- Season’s greetings, and thanks for the good work this year. Enjoy the holiday.
Short Holiday Messages From a Manager
- Happy holidays to the whole team. This year has been exceptional because of what each of you brought to it. Enjoy every moment of the break, you have all earned it.
- Season’s greetings. Leading this team is the part of my job I am most grateful for. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday and a strong new year.
- Happy holidays. The work this team does matters and the way you do it matters more. Enjoy the rest, it is well deserved.
Short Holiday Email Subject Lines for Colleagues
- Happy holidays from [name]
- Season’s greetings and a quick thank you
- Wishing you a wonderful holiday season
- Happy holidays, and thank you for a great year
- A quick note before the holidays
What to Write in a Short Holiday Card to a Colleague
The formula: one line that is specific to the year or the relationship, then one warm holiday wish, optionally one line about the new year. That is it.
Example: “This year has been one of the more demanding ones, and you have handled it consistently well. Wishing you a proper rest over the holidays. Looking forward to a great new year together.”
If you want to go beyond words: a ForestNation Gift Story plants a tree in the colleague’s name in Tanzania and is delivered to their email on any date you choose, with your personal message inside. Appropriate for any colleague, any level. The first send is free, and you can see how we measure our reforestation impact before you send.
Short Holiday Messages for LinkedIn
- Wishing everyone in my network a peaceful and joyful holiday season. Here is to rest, reflection, and a strong new year.
- Season’s greetings to all. Grateful for the connections, conversations, and collaborations this year has brought. Happy holidays.
- Happy holidays! Whatever the season brings you, I hope it includes rest and something to look forward to in the new year.
See also: holiday wishes for coworkers | Christmas messages for colleagues | corporate Christmas gifts.
For a personalised message to go with any gift: giftstory.ai creates warm, personalised messages in seconds, tailored to the relationship, the occasion, and your own voice.
Research and References
- ForestNation employee tree gifts: holiday gifting for colleagues and teams, with your own message delivered by email. See ForestNation employee tree gifts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good short holiday message for colleagues?
“Happy holidays! It has been a good year working alongside you. Wishing you a proper rest and a strong start to the new year.” One specific line, one warm wish, optionally one line about next year. Three to five lines maximum.
What do you say in a short holiday card to a coworker?
One specific line about the year or the person, then a holiday wish. “This year has been demanding and you have handled it consistently well. Wishing you a proper rest over the holidays.” Specific always beats generic.
How do you wish a colleague happy holidays professionally?
“Season’s greetings. Wishing you a peaceful holiday and everything good in the year ahead.” Or: “Happy holidays, thank you for everything this year. Wishing you a wonderful break and a strong new year.” Warm but professional, brief, specific.
What is a short holiday message for a whole team?
“Happy holidays to the whole team. This year has been exceptional because of what each of you brought to it. Enjoy every moment of the break, you have all earned it.” Or send the whole team a ForestNation Gift Story at once, a tree in each person’s name, your message inside, delivered globally with no postal address needed.
