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Message ideas

What to say in a Christmas message to your grandparents.

Grandparents get the most out of a real memory, a bit of news and faces they know. Here are 20 ideas for a family Christmas message, sorted by who’s talking.

From a grandchild

  • Your favorite Christmas at their house, and one detail you’ll never forget.

    Warm

  • Something you want to learn from them this year: a recipe, a card game, a song.

    Warm

  • The present from them you were least excited about as a kid, and whether you still have it.

    Funny

  • Their Christmas rules, recited from memory: when presents get opened, who carves, who controls the TV.

    Funny

  • Merry Christmas. Save me the good chair.

    Short

From a grown-up child

  • What Christmas was like growing up, and what you understand now about how much work it was.

    Warm

  • A tradition of theirs you’re keeping going in your own home.

    Warm

  • The year Christmas went wrong, told the way the family tells it now.

    Funny

  • A full confession about what really happened to the Christmas cookies.

    Funny

  • Thank you for every Christmas. Here’s to this one.

    Short

From an in-law

  • Your first Christmas with their family, and what made you feel welcome.

    Warm

  • Something about your partner that you can tell came straight from them.

    Warm

  • The family tradition that took you years to understand.

    Funny

  • How much food they insist on serving, and your strategy for this year.

    Funny

  • Thank you for making room at your table.

    Short

From a great-grandchild’s parent

  • What your little one is into right now, so they have something to ask about next time.

    Warm

  • A look, a laugh or a stubborn streak in your child that clearly came from them.

    Warm

  • Let your child try to say what they call their great-grandparents. Keep every attempt.

    Funny

  • Your child’s Christmas list as it stands, read out word for word.

    Funny

  • Four generations this Christmas. Thank you for starting it.

    Short

Tips for recording.

  1. Speak a little slower than usual and face a window, so your face and voice are easy to follow.
  2. Let the kids say their own part, even if it comes out messy.
  3. One story from your household beats a long list of greetings from everyone.

Collect everyone’s messages in one video.

Share one link. Everyone adds a short video, voice note, photos or a written message from their phone, and on the day it plays as one video. Free for up to 10 messages. No ads. Never posted anywhere.

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