22 new year wishes to send your friends, family, and coworkers
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
Want to wish the people in your life a Happy New Year in a special way? Discover 22 new year wishes to share with family, friends, significant others, clients, and co-workers.
For most of us, it feels like it’s go, go, go all year long. Then the end of December hits, and we finally get to sit down, rest, and reflect on how the heck we made it through a whole ‘nother year.
In this reflection, you may start to realize what a big part all of the people in your life played in getting through the past 12 months. Then a sudden sense of gratitude kicks in and you want to let your loved ones know how you feel by sending some new year’s wishes.
But even though you’re eager to send a loving message, you worry that you won’t be able to come up with the right meaningful words to say. We’ve been there too. So we’ve come up with a list of 22 wishes to help you strike the right tone before the clock strikes midnight.
4 warm new year wishes for family
Our families have seen it all. They’ve seen our best sides and our worst sides. And thankfully, they’re usually still there for us. So if you’re wanting to send a new year’s message of appreciation but are still having trouble finding the right thing to say, don’t worry — we’ve got you.
And as a rule of thumb, try airing on the side of positivity, love, and humor. And personalize your wishes with a funny moment from the year or upcoming family event to get everyone excited to connect.
“Happy New Year to my favorite people in the world. Wishing you another year filled with belly laughs, love, and mom’s pocket-dials!”
“Cheers to another year of five different family group texts! Let’s go big or go home and do six next year! Love you!”
“Wishing the most stunning family ever a year full of good food, tons of giggles, and extra sleep!”
“Happy New Year! Love you all! Thanks for giving me my good looks! (And my humility!)”
5 fun new year wishes for friends
Let’s face it, our friends make our life more fun. They lift us up, make us laugh, and hold our hands when we’re going through tough times. And life would be so much worse without them.
So if you’re wanting to send them a grateful new year’s wish, here’s five lighthearted, funny, and or heartfelt ways to do it. To make it personal, try adding in some special moments from the year, cheer them on in a goal they're working towards, or suggest a shared activity or adventure in the new year.
“Happy New Year, bestie! Thanks for all the hand holds, scream-laughs, and “Omg, CUTE!” texts. So happy you’re in my life!”
“Cheers to another year of midnight calls, 7am croissants, and last minute weekend getaways!”
“Manifesting my ride-or-die a year full of amazing hair days, great work-life balance, and deep restorative sleep every night! Happy New Year!”
“To my best friend, thanks for always giving the best advice, sending the funniest memes, and finding the best happy hour spots in between our places. Let’s do it all over again this year!”
“Happy New Year lovely!! Love your brain, love your style, and love YOU!”
5 romantic new year wishes for significant others
Our partners can keep us calm, make us feel beautiful, and make us feel alive. So if you’re wanting to shower them with a little extra love and appreciation this new year, we understand, and we agree!
To remind them how special they are, share your favorite memory together from the past year, mention something you're looking forward to sharing with them in the upcoming year, or even throw in a playful resolution for your relationship (weekly date nights anyone?)
“To my favorite person, here’s to another year of us cuddling on the couch, cuddling in bed, and cuddling with our fur-baby! Basically, lots of cuddling. Happy New Year!”
“Happy New Year! Thanks for bear-hugging me every time I walk in the door, every time I’m sad, and every time I’m upset. No one comforts me like you do. I love you!”
“You make every year better just by being in it. Here’s to another 12 months of love, laughter, and stealing the blankets. Happy New Year!”
“Thanks for making me laugh so hard it hurts. Here’s to another year of 365 days of belly laughs. I love you.”
“Happy New Year to the best person I know! There’s no one I’d rather sing in the car with, scream at the TV with, or share an ice cream sandwich with.”
8 positive new year wishes for coworkers and clients
When work’s stressful and overwhelming, having a coworker to vent to or just to reassure you that you’ve got this, can really be the thing that gets you through the day.
But sometimes it can be hard to properly send an appreciative new year’s message while also striking the right tone of friendly yet professional. This also goes for clients who you want to acknowledge so that you start the year off on the right foot.
For coworkers, you might want to add in a funny moment or memorable project you worked on this year. And for clients you could highlight a milestone they achieved to show you’ve been paying attention and value their partnership.
For coworkers
“Happy New Year to the person whose e-mails I look forward to the most! Let’s smash those Q1 goals (and thanks for always making me laugh with your e-mail headings!)”
“Here’s to another year of rushed elevator rides, long coffee breaks, and brisk lunch time walks. Let’s do it all again next year!”
“Happy New Year! Thanks for always reminding me to go home at 6pm because the project will still be there in the morning. You’re the best!
“Happy New Year! Here’s to the person who always asks about my weekend and never fails to drop off the kitchen treats at my desk. Me and my stomach thank you!”
For clients
“Happy New Year! We’re so thankful we got to meet and work with you this year.”
“Happy New Year! We were honored to work with you and we wish you and your team nothing but success!”
“Working with you this year was such a highlight for us. So excited to do it all over again next year!”
“You and your team were rock stars this year! We wish you all even more success in the new year!”
New year wishes FAQs
What are some unique ways to wish someone a Happy New Year?
If you’re feeling like the standard “Happy New Year!” is too bland, go for something a little more fun.
Voice notes and videos: Record a short video of yourself sharing your wishes, or make a funny montage of memories from the past year.
Go old-school: Send a handwritten note or card — it’s unexpected and refreshing. If you have any inside jokes, pepper those in there too!
Add a gift: Give them something small, like chocolates or a bottle of wine and then attach a cute little note with your wishes onto the present.
Get creative: Make a custom playlist with songs that remind you of your relationship, or the vibe you’re wishing them for the new year. Share it with a note like, “Next year’s not ready! Let’s do this!”
How can I personalize new year messages for different relationships?
Sometimes personalizing new year’s wishes is a lot — especially if you have a ton of people you want to wish a Happy New Year to. You might feel like, “Well, there’s only so many ways to say it!”
But thankfully there are ways to make it easier on yourself so that you’re not banging your head against the wall. The main thing to remember is to keep your tone genuine and try to add details that show you’ve specifically thought about the person you’re writing to.
Here’s some tips to help you personalize new year’s wishes:
For family: Focus on shared traditions or memories. Try to think of a hilarious moment from a past holiday dinner, or a touching moment that happened this year.
For friends: Focus on inside jokes or shared experiences. Try to think of movies, hobbies, or memes that you know they love.
For coworkers and clients: Focus on shared successes or goals. Try to think of a big project you worked on together and tell them how much you appreciated their contributions. If it’s a client, try to think of any stand-out moments that their business had this past year.
What are appropriate new year wishes at work?
We all at one time or another have worried about how to strike the right balance between friendly and respectful while at work. We don’t want to offend anyone with our communication but we also don’t want to be too boring and stiff.
So we get it if you're stressed about how to strike the tone right when sending a new year’s wish at work. As a rule of thumb, try to stick to something neutral and optimistic. Be friendly but try to avoid too much humor just in case you might offend someone.
If you’re talking to a client, a safe wish you could say is, “Happy New Year! We were honored to work with you this year and we wish you and your team nothing but success!”
If you’re talking to a coworker though, you can be a little more lighthearted. A safe wish you could say is, “Here’s to another year of the rushed elevator rides, long coffee breaks, and brisk lunch time walks. Let’s do it all again next year!”
What are some creative ideas for combining new year wishes with gifts?
If you want to kick things up a notch and pair your wishes with a thoughtful gift, here are some ideas you could try:
For your family and friends: Order a thoughtful photo book or a customized calendar featuring some of your favorite memories over the past year.
For your co-workers: Buy them something useful like a notebook or a coffee gift card.
For clients: Write a handwritten card and attach it to something like a bottle of wine, or chocolates.
For everyone: If you like baking treats or making homemade candles, this could be a fun personal gift for anyone to enjoy.
What are some famous quotes I can combine with new year wishes?
If you’re at a loss for words and can’t think of a wish that you’d like to say, why not try adding a quote? This can give your message a little extra oomph, and it might even convey emotions that otherwise would’ve been hard for you to say.
Here are some quotes you could use:
“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right” — Oprah Winfrey. This can be perfect for friends or family who are looking forward to fresh starts.
“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year” — Ralph Waldo Emerson. This could be a nice uplifting and positive message for a co-worker.
“The magic in new beginnings is truly the most powerful of them all” — Josiyah Martin. This could be a thoughtful quote for a client, or really anyone wanting a new chapter of their life.
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