Saying Merry Christmas in Maori is a beautiful way to celebrate the season with a touch of Aotearoa. In te reo Māori, the greeting is Meri Kirihimete — pronounced MEH-ree Kee-ree-hee-MEH-teh — and it is used across New Zealand on cards, in text messages, and at summer barbecues under the blooming pōhutukawa tree.
Below are 40 original Meri Kirihimete wishes, each with an English translation, grouped for cards, text messages, family, and friends. Every wish is unique to this page — copy and share them freely.
Last updated: September 21, 2026
Jump to: Card & Letter Wishes · Short Text Messages · Family Wishes · Friends & Loved Ones · Pronunciation Guide · More Christmas Inspiration
Meri Kirihimete Wishes for Cards & Letters
Longer, heartfelt te reo Māori greetings — perfect for Christmas cards, letters, and holiday emails.
- Meri Kirihimete ki a koe me tō whānau. — Merry Christmas to you and your family.
- Ngā mihi nui o te Kirihimete ki a koe. — The warmest Christmas greetings to you.
- Kia hari, kia koa tēnei Kirihimete ki a koe. — May this Christmas be happy and joyful for you.
- Meri Kirihimete! Kia tau te rangimārie ki runga i a koe. — Merry Christmas! May peace rest upon you.
- He Kirihimete harikoa tēnei ki a koe, e hoa. — A very happy Christmas to you, my friend.
- Meri Kirihimete, kia kī tō kāinga i te aroha. — Merry Christmas, may your home be full of love.
- Ngā manaakitanga o te wā Kirihimete ki a koe. — The blessings of the Christmas season to you.
- Meri Kirihimete ki a koutou katoa. — Merry Christmas to all of you.
- Kia pai tō rā Kirihimete, kia pai hoki te Tau Hou. — Have a wonderful Christmas Day, and a wonderful New Year too.
- Meri Kirihimete! He wā whakamīharo tēnei. — Merry Christmas! What a wonderful time this is.
- Tēnā koe i tēnei wā Kirihimete, e te hoa aroha. — Greetings to you this Christmas season, dear friend.
- Meri Kirihimete, kia whiwhi koe i ngā mea pai katoa. — Merry Christmas, may you receive all good things.
Short Meri Kirihimete Text Messages
Quick one-line greetings for texts, captions, and social media posts.
- Meri Kirihimete! — Merry Christmas!
- Meri Kirihimete ki a koe! — Merry Christmas to you!
- Kia koa te Kirihimete! — Have a joyful Christmas!
- Ngā mihi Kirihimete! — Christmas greetings!
- Meri Kirihimete, e hoa! — Merry Christmas, friend!
- Kia hari te rā! — Have a happy day!
- Meri Kirihimete ki a koutou! — Merry Christmas to you all!
- Aroha nui i te Kirihimete. — Lots of love this Christmas.
- Kia pai tō wā whakatā! — Have a great holiday!
- Meri Kirihimete me te Tau Hou! — Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Meri Kirihimete Wishes for Family
Tender greetings for your whānau — parents, children, and the whole extended family.
- Meri Kirihimete ki tōku whānau aroha. — Merry Christmas to my beloved family.
- Kia noho tahi tātou i te aroha i tēnei Kirihimete. — May we be together in love this Christmas.
- Meri Kirihimete ki a kōrua, e ngā mātua. — Merry Christmas to you both, Mum and Dad.
- He Kirihimete motuhake tēnei mō tātou te whānau. — This is a special Christmas for us as a family.
- Meri Kirihimete, e taku tamaiti aroha. — Merry Christmas, my dear child.
- Ngā mihi aroha ki te whānau whānui. — Loving greetings to the wider family.
- Kia kaha te aroha i waenganui i a tātou i tēnei wā. — May love be strong between us at this time.
- Meri Kirihimete ki te whānau katoa, tata mai, tawhiti atu. — Merry Christmas to the whole family, near and far.
- He taonga koe ki tōku ngākau i tēnei Kirihimete. — You are a treasure to my heart this Christmas.
- Meri Kirihimete, kia maumahara tātou ki ngā wā pai. — Merry Christmas, let us remember the good times.
Meri Kirihimete Wishes for Friends & Loved Ones
Warm, friendly greetings for your closest friends and your sweetheart this holiday season.
- Meri Kirihimete ki taku hoa pūmau. — Merry Christmas to my dearest friend.
- Kia hari te Kirihimete ki a tāua, e hoa. — May Christmas be happy for us both, my friend.
- Meri Kirihimete, kei te mihi au ki a koe. — Merry Christmas, I am thinking of you.
- He hoa pono koe; Meri Kirihimete ki a koe. — You are a true friend; Merry Christmas to you.
- Meri Kirihimete ki taku ipo. — Merry Christmas to my sweetheart.
- Kia reka te Kirihimete, kia reka te kai! — May Christmas be sweet, and the food delicious!
- Meri Kirihimete, kia kite tātou i te Tau Hou. — Merry Christmas, see you in the New Year!
- Arohanui i tēnei Kirihimete, e hoa. — Much love this Christmas, friend.
How to Say Merry Christmas in Maori (Pronunciation)
What does "Meri Kirihimete" mean? It is the Māori transliteration of the English words "Merry Christmas." Early Māori speakers adapted the sounds into te reo Māori, which has no letters C or S — so "Christmas" became Kirihimete and "Merry" became Meri.
Pronunciation: Meri Kirihimete sounds like MEH-ree Kee-ree-hee-MEH-teh. Māori vowels are pure: a as in "car," e as in "bed," i as in "ski," o as in "or," u as in "flute." A macron (ā, ō, ū) simply lengthens the vowel. Rolling the "r" lightly will make it sound even more natural.
When to use it: Kiwis say Meri Kirihimete everywhere "Merry Christmas" would be said — on greeting cards, in text messages, in work emails, and as a friendly shout across the Christmas barbecue. In New Zealand, Christmas falls in summer, so you will often hear it alongside images of the blooming red pōhutukawa tree, New Zealand's own Christmas tree.
More Christmas Inspiration
Keep the festive spirit going with more of our most-loved Christmas collections:


Comments
Post a Comment