Should You Capitalize ‘Happy Holidays’?

Grammar Rules for Eid and Other Festive Greetings

Festive seasons are full of warmth, togetherness—and often, a few grammar dilemmas. Whether you’re writing a greeting card, a professional email, or a holiday caption, you may pause and ask yourself: Should ‘Happy Holidays’ be capitalized? What about Eid Mubarak? Is it Merry Christmas or merry Christmas?

Let’s clear up the confusion with this easy guide to grammar rules for holiday greetings—because festive cheer deserves flawless punctuation.

1. Why Capitalization Matters in Festive Greetings

Capitalization isn’t just a grammar rule—it signals respect, tone, and clarity. Writing happy holidays vs. Happy Holidays can change how formal or thoughtful your message sounds. Proper capitalization also ensures you’re acknowledging the holiday as a named celebration, not just a casual phrase.

2. When to Capitalize ‘Happy Holidays’

Capitalize when it’s a standalone greeting:

✅ Wishing you Happy Holidays and a joyful New Year.
✅ Happy Holidays! See you in January.

Don’t capitalize in mid-sentence unless it’s a title or proper noun:

❌ We hope you have a happy holidays and good health.
✅ We hope you have a happy holiday season full of joy.

Rule of thumb: Treat Happy Holidays like a proper noun when used as a greeting—capitalize both words. But when you’re talking about the holiday season in general, you can go lowercase.

3. How to Write ‘Eid Mubarak,’ ‘Ramadan Kareem,’ and Other Greetings

Islamic greetings also follow proper capitalization when used formally.

✅ Eid Mubarak — Capitalize both words; it’s a specific greeting.
✅ Ramadan Kareem or Ramadan Mubarak — Capitalize both.
✅ Bakrid Mubarak or Eid al-Adha Mubarak — Capitalize each proper noun and greeting word.

Why? Because you’re referring to a specific celebration and using a greeting phrase that’s culturally and religiously significant.

Note: Avoid lowercase forms (eid mubarak, ramadan kareem) in formal or public writing—they come across as careless or disrespectful.

4. Seasonal Greetings: Formal vs. Casual Writing

Tone	Example	Capitalization Rule
Formal	Wishing you a peaceful Eid Mubarak.	Capitalize both greeting words.
Casual	happy holidays and good vibes!	Lowercase fine in casual chats.
Professional	Happy Holidays from our team to yours.	Always capitalize.

When in doubt—especially in professional or semi-formal communication—capitalize to show courtesy and respect.

5. Punctuation Tips for Festive Messages

A few grammar reminders to make your greetings shine:

Use an exclamation mark for warmth: Happy Holidays!
Don’t add extra punctuation: ❌ Happy Holidays!!
Comma before a name: Happy Holidays, Sarah!
Use a period for calm tone: Wishing you a peaceful Eid Mubarak.

6. Quick Reference Guide

Greeting Phrase	Correct Form
Happy holidays	✅ Happy Holidays (as greeting)
merry Christmas	❌ Merry Christmas
eid mubarak	❌ Eid Mubarak
Ramadan kareem	❌ Ramadan Kareem
Season’s greetings	✅ Season’s Greetings
happy new year	❌ Happy New Year

7. Final Takeaway: Keep It Respectful, Keep It Clear

Festive greetings carry more than just words—they carry warmth, respect, and goodwill. Whether you’re saying Happy Diwali, Eid Mubarak, or Merry Christmas, giving those words the right capitalization shows you care enough to get it right.

So the next time you write a greeting, pause and ask: Would I capitalize this if I were saying it in a card or a banner? If yes—capitalize it with pride.

Because good grammar is one more way to spread good cheer.