Christmas Out of Office Message Templates

Warm out of office auto-reply templates for the Christmas and holiday season, including full company closure notices. Use the variants as-is, edit the placeholders, or download the editable Word doc.

Format

Editable Word .docx

Length

6 variants · copy-paste

Price

100% free

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Short and simple holiday note

Message

Hello, and thank you for your email. I am away for the Christmas holidays and will be back at work on return date. I will not be checking messages while I am off enjoying the season with family and friends. If your matter is urgent, please contact contact name at contact email, who can help in the meantime. Otherwise, I will reply as soon as I return. Wishing you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. Warm regards, your name.

Shorter version

Thanks for your email. I am away for Christmas and back on return date, not checking messages. For urgent matters, please contact contact name at contact email. Merry Christmas, and I will reply when I return.

Personalize

Keep the greeting warm but inclusive if you are unsure how a sender celebrates.
Set return date to your true first day back so nobody expects an early reply.

Download free template

6 ready-to-use variants

1. Short and simple holiday note 2. Detailed note with return date 3. With an alternate contact 4. Client-facing holiday note 5. Internal team note 6. Whole-company holiday closure

Short and simple holiday note

When to use: Use this when you want a friendly seasonal note with minimal detail.

Message

Shorter version

Personalize

Keep the greeting warm but inclusive if you are unsure how a sender celebrates.
Set return date to your true first day back so nobody expects an early reply.

Detailed note with return date

When to use: Use this when senders benefit from knowing who covers during the season.

Message

Hello, thank you for reaching out. I am now away for the Christmas and holiday season and will return to the office on return date. During this time I will not be monitoring my inbox, and I will respond to your message after I am back. If your request cannot wait, please contact contact name at contact email, who is covering for me on the team name over the break. Thank you for your patience, and I hope you have a restful and joyful holiday. Kind regards, your name.

Shorter version

I am away for the holidays until return date and not checking email. For anything urgent, please contact contact name at contact email on the team name. Happy holidays, and I will reply when I return.

Personalize

Note who is covering on the team name so senders know where to turn.
Add a buffer to return date so your first day back is not buried in backlog.

With an alternate contact

When to use: Use this when your work divides between two people during the break.

Message

Thank you for your email, and happy holidays. I am away for Christmas and will be back on return date, with no access to my inbox until then. So your request is handled quickly, please reach the right person below. For account and project matters, contact contact name at contact email. For anything else, second contact name at second contact email will be glad to help. I will follow up on anything outstanding once I return in the new year. Warm wishes, your name.

Shorter version

I am away for Christmas until return date. For account matters, contact contact name at contact email; for everything else, second contact name at second contact email. Happy holidays, and I will reply when I return.

Personalize

Route by topic so senders reach the person who can help over the break.
Confirm contact name and second contact name are working before you list them.

Client-facing holiday note

When to use: Use this when your audience is external during the holiday season.

Message

Hello, and thank you for contacting company name. We are winding down for the Christmas holidays, and I will be back in the office on return date. Your work remains important to us, and my colleague contact name at contact email is available to help with anything you need over the break. I will personally follow up as soon as I return in the new year. Thank you for your partnership this year, and we wish you a warm and happy holiday season. Best regards, your name.

Shorter version

Thank you for contacting company name. I am away for the holidays until return date. In the meantime, contact name at contact email is happy to help. Warm holiday wishes, and I will follow up when I return.

Personalize

Thank clients for the year; the holidays are a natural moment for goodwill.
Confirm contact name is available before pointing clients to them over the break.

Internal team note

When to use: Use this when the audience is your own team over the break.

Message

Hi team, thanks for your message, and happy holidays. I am off for Christmas and will be back on return date. While I am away, contact name at contact email is covering anything that comes up, and manager name can help with approvals. I will not be checking Slack or email, so please do not hold work for my input over the break. I will catch up on everything once I am back in the new year. Enjoy the time off and see you soon. Cheers, your name.

Shorter version

I am off for Christmas until return date and fully offline. contact name at contact email is covering; send approvals to manager name. Happy holidays, and I will catch up when I return.

Personalize

Encourage the team to switch off too; nobody should wait on you over the break.
Point approvals to manager name so nothing stalls until the new year.

Whole-company holiday closure

When to use: Use this when the entire office is shut for the season.

Message

Hello, and thank you for contacting company name. Our office is now closed for the Christmas and holiday season from closure dates, and we will reopen on reopen date. During this time our team will be away, and messages will not be monitored. We will respond to your email in the order it was received once we are back. For anything that genuinely cannot wait until we reopen, please contact contact name at contact email. Thank you for a wonderful year, and from all of us here, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy, healthy new year. Warm regards, your name.

Shorter version

Thank you for contacting company name. Our office is closed for the holidays from closure dates and reopens on reopen date. Messages are not monitored until then. For urgent matters, contact contact name at contact email. Happy holidays from all of us.

Personalize

State the exact closure dates and reopen date so customers can plan around them.
Keep one emergency contact live so truly urgent issues still reach someone.

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How to use this template

1
Pick the closest variant. Choose based on the situation, not only the channel.
2
Replace every placeholder. If you cannot fill a field, ask one clarifying question first.
3
Save the final version into sem.chat, your CRM, or your help desk so the team stays consistent.
4
Review results weekly. Drop variants that create confusion and improve the ones that work.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use these templates commercially?

Yes. Copy, edit, and use them in your business, client work, CRM, help desk, or sem.chat workspace.

Why are there six variants?

One generic template rarely fits every situation. Six variants give your team practical choices without a messy library.

Should I paste these into sem.chat?

Yes. Save the best variants as canned replies, knowledge base entries, routing rules, or CRM notes so your AI agent and team stay consistent.

When should I turn on my Christmas out of office?

Set it to start on your last working day and end on your first day back. Turning it on a little early, once you stop actively replying, prevents senders from waiting on you.

Should the message mention Christmas specifically?

You can, but a warmer, more inclusive greeting like happy holidays suits mixed audiences. Match the wording to how well you know your senders and what they celebrate.

How do we handle a full company closure?

Send one clear notice with your closure dates, your reopen date, and a single emergency contact. State that messages are not monitored so customers know what to expect.

Should I still offer a contact over the holidays?

Yes, if someone has agreed to be available for genuine emergencies. If the whole team is truly off, say so plainly and give the reopen date instead of a contact.

How do I come back smoothly after the break?

Add a buffer day before your stated return so you can clear the backlog. Reply in order, and do not promise instant turnaround on your first morning back.