The most common holiday card grammar mistakes include misused apostrophes, incorrect plural last names, and punctuation errors in greetings and sign-offs. These small details can make even a beautiful card feel awkward or unpolished.
This quick guide breaks down the most frequent holiday greeting grammar mistakes with clear rules and examples you can follow confidently.
’Tis the season to send holiday greetings to one and all.
You’ve already chosen a beautiful card design now comes the part many people overthink: what to write inside so it sounds polished, warm, and intentional.
If you’re planning seasonal campaigns or personal mailings, pairing the right message with the right timing matters just as much as design. (If you’re mapping out the year ahead, this 2025 Print Campaigns marketing calendar is a helpful reference.)
The Most Common Holiday Card Grammar Mistakes
Before diving in, here’s a quick snapshot of the errors people make most often on holiday cards:
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Using apostrophes to pluralize last names
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Writing “Seasons greetings” instead of “Season’s greetings”
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Forgetting commas in holiday card sign-offs
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Misusing RSVP on holiday party invitations
These mistakes are common and easy to avoid once you know what to look for.
Where Do Apostrophes Go in Holiday Greetings?
Rule: Apostrophes are used for contractions and possession, not to make words plural.
Classic holiday phrases are familiar, but small punctuation errors can change their meaning.
CORRECT:
- ‘Tis the season
- Season’s greetings
- Happy New Year
- New Year’s Eve
- New Year’s Day
INCORRECT:
- Tis the season
- Seasons greetings
- Seasons’ greetings
- Happy New Year’s
- New Years
Should Holiday Greetings Be Capitalized?
Rule: Holiday names are capitalized, but words like merry and happy are lowercase unless they start a sentence.
Correct:
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Wishing you and yours a happy Kwanzaa
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Happy Hanukkah to you and your family
Incorrect:
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We wish you a Merry Christmas
If you’re designing cards for customers or clients, consistent capitalization helps your brand feel polished and professional, especially on printed holiday greeting cards.
Do You Need a Comma Before Signing a Holiday Card?
Rule: Closing phrases should be followed by a comma before the signature.
Correct:
Incorrect:
An easy alternative is to rephrase the closing and skip the comma entirely:
Correct:
How Do Apostrophes Work for Holiday Party Invitations?
Rule: When two people co-host an event, the apostrophe comes after the second name.
Feel free to send your holiday greeting card as the invitation itself. If you’re co-hosting the event, consider the compound possession rule for placing an apostrophe.
Correct:
Brett & Christina’s
Incorrect:
Brett’s & Christina’s
When asking guests to respond, remember that RSVP stands for the French phrase répondez s’il vous plaît, meaning “please respond.”
Correct:
RSVP
Incorrect:
Please RSVP (this literally means “please respond please”)
If you’re creating formal invites, keep wording simple and clean, whether you’re sending custom invitations or folded cards.
How Do You Make Last Names Plural on Holiday Cards?
Rule: To make a family name plural, add s or es, never an apostrophe unless you’re showing possession.
Correct:
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The Leahys
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The Ramirezes
Incorrect:
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The Leahies
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The Ramirezs
If you’re unsure, adding family is always safe.
Correct:
The Jones family
Incorrect:
-
The Joneses family
-
The Jones’ family
Holiday Card Grammar FAQs
Is “Happy Holidays” grammatically correct?
Yes. It’s correct and widely used, especially when referencing multiple holidays.
Is “Seasons Greetings” wrong?
Yes. The correct version is “Season’s greetings.”
Should I capitalize “merry” and “happy”?
Only if they begin a sentence.
How do I address non-traditional or hyphenated family names?
Using “The [Last Name] family” avoids most grammatical issues.
A Quick Printing Tip
Before sending your cards to print, it’s worth doing one final grammar check, especially for customer-facing or corporate mailings. Clean copy paired with quality materials (like choosing the right stock — explained in this guide to paper types) makes a noticeable difference in how your message is received.
If you’re preparing seasonal outreach, you may also find these helpful:
Design custom holiday greeting cards and seasonal print materials with Overnight Prints — so your message feels thoughtful, professional, and mistake-free.
