People from around the world have been writing to me in search of the correct wording for new year's messages to their English-speaking friends and associates. To help them, I have composed these brief messages as models. I hope you find them helpful.
Note to international readers: If the message says I, it is from one person. If it says we, it is from more than one person or from a business. When you change the subject from I to we (or we to I), the verb stays the same. (Example: "I wish" and "We wish" are both correct.)
Happy 2012! I wish you a new year filled with prosperity, joy, and contentment. [for anyone]
Happy 2012! I wish you a beautiful, magical new year! [for anyone]
On New Year's Day and every day, we wish you joy and fulfillment. Happy new year! [for anyone]
We wish you a new year filled with wonder, peace, and meaning. Happy 2012! [for anyone]
I hope you are blessed with delight, fulfillment, and peace in the new year. [for anyone, has a spiritual feeling]
I wish you a wonderful new year filled with abundance, joy, and treasured moments. May 2012 be your best year yet! [for anyone, especially a professional]
I hope 2012 is a year of great happiness and success for you. Have a wonderful new year! [for anyone, especially a professional]
We are grateful for our work with you in 2011, and we look forward to working together in the new year. Happy 2012! [for a client]
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If you need someone to edit or proofread your holiday messages, please ask my partner, Scribendi. I don't provide this service, but Scribendi does great, fast work.
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Thank you for being a customer at our ______________. [fill in a word or a phrase such as hair salon, restaurant, gym, health club, or store.] We look forward to serving you in 2012. We wish you peace, happiness, and abundant good health in the new year. [for a customer]
Thank you for staying with us. We wish you a beautiful new year filled with peace and gladness. We look forward to seeing you again in 2012. [for a hotel guest]
Thank you for your business in 2011. It has been a pleasure helping you reach your goals, and we look forward to serving you again in the new year. We wish you a prosperous and wonderful 2012! [for a customer or a client]
We are delighted to have you as a customer, and we look forward to serving you in the new year. Have a terrific 2012! [for a customer]
We wish you great happiness in your new home. Have a wonderful new year! [for someone who has moved]
We wish you abundant success and joy in your new location. Happy 2012! [for a business that has moved]
I am personally grateful to each one of you for your tremendous efforts, and I wish everyone a rewarding, joyous new year. I look forward to working with you in 2012. [to a group of employees and associates]
I appreciate your contribution to our success this year. I wish you peace, joy, and fulfillment in 2012. Happy new year! [for an individual employee or associate]
My examples are generic so that you can use them in a variety of situations. However, the more personalized your message is, the more sincere it will feel.
Happy 2012 to you, dear reader! I hope your new year is filled with joyful learning, abundant opportunity, and pleasure in all you do.
Update: Happy 2017! If you want to continue learning about courteous, relationship-building writing, get my book Business Writing With Heart: How to Build Great Work Relationships One Message at a Time. You can get a signed paperback with a laminated bookmark from my website. Or get it for your Kindle (from Amazon) or your Nook (from Barnes & Noble). Get a free Kindle app.
Lynn
Syntax Training
Thanks for prompt answer
Dear Lynn,
Thank you for this post and all other posts. I have enjoyed learning ‘Business Writing’ from you. Someone who is as generous as you are in teaching and sharing, deserves a new year filled with abundance, peace and happiness! Wish you a fabulous 2012!
Best regards,
E
Eza, thank you for your delightful message! You have brought a big smile to my face.
Lynn
Eza,
Thank you very much for your wonderful massage!
I hope 2012 A.D for you more successful
Rana Zafar (Malaysia)
Wishes and resolutions are very common in the start of the year but as the days goes by people forget. I hope that people will make a list of their goals and decide to do it not just write it.
Dear Lynn,
Thank you so much for these models. I will definitely use them for inspiration for this year’s holiday greetings for all my valued clients.
I hope that you have had a great start to 2012!
Marie
Thanks, Marie. I wish you the same.
Lynn
Lynn,
Really very inspiring about new year message i ever found. But it could be more easy to read if you make some text formatting in your post like bold italic.
Thanks!
Hi Lynn. I work in a management office and am responsible for sending monthly newsletters & emails to all of our tenants. I would like to add a piece in the newsletter telling the tenants Happy New Year and also want to talk about fitness and New Year’s resolutions in a tactful way. We have a fitness center and offer Yoga, Zumba, Weight Watcher’s. Can you help me with the wording so it will be tactful please?
Hi, Tricia. If you write something and post it here, I will be glad to offer suggestions to ensure that your message comes across tactfully.
Lynn
you are really good writer how can i reach you? do you have any personal email? or are you on face book? will be very thankful to your kind response.
Best regards
Shahid Khan
Thank you Lynn, I am going to use on of these on my website (iraqzone.com) except i gonna make some minor changes 😉
Thanks alot Lynn
Sara
Shahid, you can subscribe to my free e-newsletter here: http://www.syntaxtraining.com/signup.html
That way, you can hear from me every month.
Also, my contact information appears at top left on this blog.
Lynn
Dear All,
Happy new year.
Thank you! Happy new year to you too!
Lynn
Very simple and nice comments. Happy new year to you too!!!
Hi.thanks for ur wonderfull messages:)i try to learn english language recently.i wanted to send aCongratulation message to my teacher and visited ur site accidently and it helped me a lot.
Hello, Sanjay and Mary. I am glad you found what you were looking for here.
Lynn