Guide one
Festival Wishes
Festivals are when most of us send the most messages, and when a forwarded image feels least personal. A few words of your own go a long way.
Before you write
- Know the festival. Use the right greeting for the occasion and the person. If unsure, a simple “warm wishes on the festival” is always polite.
- Match the relationship. A close friend can get a joke; an elder or a manager usually gets something warmer and more formal.
- Send on the day, or the evening before. Many families celebrate across several days, so a wish during the festival week is fine.
Wishes by festival
| Festival | Common greeting | A line you can use |
|---|---|---|
| Diwali | Shubh Deepavali, Happy Diwali | May the diyas light up your home and the sweets never run out. |
| Holi | Happy Holi, Holi hai! | Wishing you a day of colour, music and old friends. |
| Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha | Eid Mubarak | May this Eid bring peace to your home and joy to your table. |
| Raksha Bandhan | Happy Raksha Bandhan | Thank you for always having my back, even when I did not deserve it. |
| Navratri and Dussehra | Happy Navratri, Happy Dussehra | Wishing you nine nights of dance and a year of good winning over bad. |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | Ganpati Bappa Morya | May every new beginning this year be smooth and blessed. |
| Onam | Happy Onam | Wishing you a full sadya plate and a home full of flowers. |
| Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri | Happy Sankranti, Happy Pongal, Happy Lohri | May the harvest season bring warmth, sweetness and good fortune. |
| Guru Nanak Gurpurab | Happy Gurpurab, lakh lakh vadhaiyan | Wishing you peace, kindness and the spirit of seva. |
| Christmas | Merry Christmas | Wishing you a season of carols, cake and time with the people you love. |
| New Year | Happy New Year, naya saal mubarak | Here is to more laughter and fewer worries in the year ahead. |
Short lines for a quick text
- Happy Diwali to you and everyone at home!
- Eid Mubarak! Save me some sheer khurma.
- Holi hai! Do not wear anything white.
- Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.
Writing to colleagues and clients
Keep festival messages at work inclusive and warm, avoid jokes that need context, and do not attach large images. “Wishing you and your family a joyful festive season” works for almost anyone.
Customs differ between regions, families and faiths. When you are not sure what someone celebrates, a general season’s greeting is always welcome.