On Christmas Eve at 8pm, dozens of identical messages arrive. “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!” with the tree emoji. You already know who sent them copy-paste, you already know you didn’t really read them, you already know yours will look the same to someone.
There’s an alternative — and it doesn’t take much more time. It just requires a different format.
The problem with mass Christmas wishes
Mass Christmas wishes aren’t insincere — they’re often genuinely meant. The problem is the format: an identical text sent to a hundred people can’t communicate anything personal, by definition. And the recipients’ brains know it: they recognise the pattern, lower attention, file it away.
An original wish doesn’t need to be long or elaborate. It needs to be specific — it needs to say something that could only apply to that one person.
The news format for Christmas wishes
The Christmas news-card works through contrast: the Breaking News format applied to festive content immediately creates an effect of surprise and a smile.
Example for a friend:
- Headline: “CHRISTMAS FLASH: [Name] wishes you a Christmas that finally lives up to expectations”
- Subtitle: “Sources confirm 2026 will be the year the things you’re waiting for actually happen. Hold on.”
Example for family:
- Headline: “OFFICIAL [Family Name] FAMILY STATEMENT: Christmas [year] — all ready”
- Subtitle: “We kindly ask [Name] to arrive on time for once. Love is guaranteed. So is the Christmas pudding.”
The scratch card for New Year
The scratch card is perfect for New Year: the reveal of the hidden message works as a metaphor for the year opening up — you don’t yet know what’s there, but you’re about to find out.
Ideas for the hidden message:
- “2026 will bring you [something good you already know is coming for that person]. I’m glad to be here for it.”
- “One word for your new year: [a word chosen carefully for that specific person]. Happy New Year.”
- “This year, remember: [something personal, a piece of advice, a shared memory]. With love.”
How to handle groups without losing personalisation
You don’t need to create a different card for each of your hundred contacts. But you can create 4-5 different versions — one for close friends, one for family, one for colleagues, one for acquaintances — each with an appropriate tone and content.
That minimal segmentation transforms mass wishes into something that approaches personalisation without multiplying the work.