Merry Christmas in Italian is Buon Natale. It is the standard greeting and it works with anyone, from a close friend to a neighbour. Below we cover the other ways Italians wish each other well over the holidays, which greeting fits which moment, how to say it to one person or to a whole family, and the New Year lines that follow.
Buon Natale and the greetings that go with it
These are the lines we would reach for first. Each one is written the way Italians write it, with the English meaning beside it.
- Buon Natale! means Merry Christmas! It is the most common way to say it, and the one people say out loud.
- Buon Natale a tutti! means Merry Christmas, everyone! It suits a toast at the table or a card to more than one person.
- Auguri di buon Natale! means Best wishes for Christmas! It reads well on a card.
- Buone Feste! means Happy holidays! It covers the whole festive season rather than one day.
- Buon Natale e felice anno nuovo! means Merry Christmas and a happy new year! It is the all-in-one line for a card that arrives before the holidays.
Which greeting to use, and when
Buon Natale is the safe default. Buone Feste is the one for goodbyes: when you will not see someone again before the new year, Italians say Buone Feste instead (FluentIn3Months and ThinkInItalian both say so).
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Auguri on its own means “wishes”. Italians use it for birthdays and anniversaries as well as Christmas, and many shorten the whole greeting to just auguri or tanti auguri (many wishes) (Daily Italian Words, FluentIn3Months).
If someone wishes you Buon Natale, you can reply Altrettanto! (the same to you) or Anche a te! (to you too).
Saying it to one person, or to a whole family
Italian has a form for each. The verb augurare means “to wish”:
- Ti auguro un buon Natale. I wish you a merry Christmas. This is the informal form for one person, the one you use with friends and family.
- Vi auguro un buon Natale. I wish you all a merry Christmas. This is the form for more than one person.
For someone you would address formally (Lei), the verb takes Le, as in Le auguro un buon anno nuovo in the New Year section below (Daily Italian Words and ThinkInItalian both give that form).
A saying about family
Italians have a saying that sums up the season: Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi. It means Christmas with your family, Easter with whoever you like. Christmas is the holiday you spend at home (ThinkInItalian, Fast Italian Learning). It makes a good line for a card to someone far from the family table.
Around the day itself
Many families mark la Vigilia di Natale, Christmas Eve, with a large festive dinner called il cenone. Menus vary across Italy (ThinkInItalian, FluentIn3Months). The day after Christmas, 26 December, is Santo Stefano, a public holiday in Italy. If you want the full story of the Christmas Eve table, read why Italian families fill it with fish, not meat.
New Year greetings in Italian
New Year’s Day is Capodanno, and New Year’s Eve is la vigilia di Capodanno (ThinkInItalian, FluentIn3Months). Around the turn of the year, these are the lines to know:
- Felice anno nuovo! means Happy new year!
- Buon anno! also means Happy new year! (literally, good year). It is the short, everyday version.
- Tanti auguri di buon anno! means Many wishes for a good new year!
- Anno nuovo, vita nuova. is a proverb: New year, new life.
To one person informally: Ti auguro un felice anno nuovo. To someone you address formally: Le auguro un buon anno nuovo. To a group: Vi auguro un felice anno nuovo.
After the holidays: Epifania
L’Epifania falls on 6 January and marks the end of the Christmas holidays in Italy (FluentIn3Months, Studentville). The saying that goes with it is L’Epifania tutte le feste porta via: the Epiphany carries all the holidays away.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say Merry Christmas in Italian?
Say Buon Natale. Add a tutti to wish everyone, or Auguri di buon Natale for a card.
What is the difference between Buon Natale and Buone Feste?
Buon Natale wishes someone a merry Christmas. Buone Feste wishes them happy holidays and covers the whole season, so we use it when we will not see the person again before the new year.
How do you reply when someone says Buon Natale?
Reply Altrettanto! or Anche a te!. Both mean “to you too”.
How do you say Happy New Year in Italian?
Say Felice anno nuovo or Buon anno. On a card, Tanti auguri di buon anno works well.
Does auguri only mean birthday wishes?
No. Auguri means “wishes”. Italians use it for birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas alike.
Put one on a card
Want a line ready to copy? Copy a line or send a free Italian Christmas card. Each greeting comes with its English meaning, so you can use it with confidence.
Where we checked these greetings: ThinkInItalian, Daily Italian Words, FluentIn3Months, Berlitz and Fast Italian Learning.
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