In short: To make a holiday voicemail greeting, copy a script with your closing and reopening dates, paste it into Speechma’s free Text to Speech, choose a calm, professional voice at a slightly slower speed and download the MP3 or WAV. Upload the file as your greeting in your phone system and switch back to your normal greeting when you reopen.
What should a holiday voicemail greeting say?
Callers want three answers fast: are you open, when do you reopen, and what do I do if it is urgent? A good holiday greeting gives all three in 15 to 25 seconds:
- Who they reached: your business name.
- The dates: when you are closed and the exact day you reopen.
- What to do now: leave a message, email, use the website or call an emergency line.
- A short, warm wish: “Happy holidays” is friendly and fits every caller.
Always say the reopening day and date together (“Monday, January fourth”). It removes doubt and saves you a pile of “are you open?” messages.
Holiday voicemail scripts you can copy
Dates below are for the 2026 holiday season. Change the names, dates and contact details to your own.
- Thanksgiving closure:
Thank you for calling Harbor Dental. Our office is closed Thursday, November twenty-sixth, and Friday, November twenty-seventh, for Thanksgiving. We reopen Monday, November thirtieth, at eight a.m. Please leave your name and number, and we will call you back. Happy Thanksgiving! - Thanksgiving, open with short hours:
Hi, you have reached Green Leaf Market. We are closed on Thanksgiving Day and open Black Friday from seven a.m. to nine p.m. Leave a message, or visit our website for holiday hours. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us. - Christmas closure:
Thank you for calling Parker and Lane. Our office is closed from Thursday, December twenty-fourth, through Friday, December twenty-fifth, for Christmas. We will be back Monday, December twenty-eighth. Please leave a message and we will return your call then. Merry Christmas! - Neutral “happy holidays”:
Hello, and happy holidays from the team at Northside Insurance. Our office is closed for the holidays and reopens Monday, January fourth. Please leave your name, number and a short message. For claims, visit northside insurance dot com any time. - Office closed between Christmas and New Year:
Thank you for calling Blue Ridge Design. Our studio is closed from December twenty-fourth through January first so our team can spend time with family. We reopen Monday, January fourth. Leave a message or email hello at blue ridge design dot com. Happy holidays! - New Year’s Day:
Happy New Year, and thank you for calling Cedar Accounting. We are closed on Friday, January first, and back on Monday, January fourth, at nine a.m. Please leave a message, and we will call you back. Here is to a great year ahead. - New Year with tax season reminder:
Thank you for calling Cedar Accounting. We are closed for the New Year holiday and reopen Monday, January fourth. Tax season appointments are open now on our website. Leave your name and number, and we will be in touch. Happy New Year! - Medical office with urgent line:
You have reached Valley Family Clinic. We are closed for the holiday and reopen on Monday at eight a.m. If this is a medical emergency, hang up and call nine one one. For urgent questions, call our after-hours nurse line at five five five, two one zero, four four eight eight. - Plumbing or HVAC (emergency service open):
Thanks for calling Summit Heating and Air. Our office is closed for the holidays, but our emergency team is on call. If you have no heat or a leak, press one to reach a technician. For everything else, leave a message, and we will call you back on Monday. Stay warm and happy holidays. - Personal out-of-office:
Hi, this is Jordan Lee. I am out of the office for the holidays until Monday, January fourth, with limited access to voicemail. For anything urgent, please call my colleague Sam at extension two zero four. Otherwise, leave a message and I will get back to you when I return. Happy holidays! - Retail store holiday hours:
Thanks for calling Maple Toys. Our holiday hours: open until four p.m. on Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day, and open again on Saturday, December twenty-sixth, at ten a.m. for returns and after-Christmas deals. See you soon, and merry Christmas! - Canadian Thanksgiving:
Thank you for calling Lakeshore Physio. Our clinic is closed Monday, October twelfth, for Thanksgiving. We reopen Tuesday at eight a.m. Please leave a message or book online. Happy Thanksgiving! - UK, Canada or Australia (Boxing Day):
Thank you for calling Fenwick Solicitors. Our office is closed from Christmas Eve until the twenty-eighth of December, and again on New Year’s Day. Please leave your name, number and a short message, or email us, and we will reply when we are back. Wishing you a happy Christmas. - Short and simple (any holiday):
Thanks for calling Bright Studio. We are closed today for the holiday and back tomorrow at nine a.m. Please leave a message. Happy holidays!
Best voice and settings for a holiday greeting
| Setting | What to choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Voice | A warm, clear voice from your country (US, UK, Canada or Australia) | Callers trust a familiar accent |
| Speed | Normal, or 5 percent slower | Callers often write down dates and numbers |
| Numbers | Write them as words: “December twenty-eighth”, “five five five” | The voice reads them exactly as you want |
| Length | 15 to 25 seconds (40 to 60 words) | Long greetings make callers hang up |
| File | MP3 by default, or WAV from the download arrow | Check your phone system’s requirements; some want WAV |
How to make and upload your holiday greeting
- Write the scriptPick a script above and change the business name, dates and contact details. Read it once out loud.
- Choose a voiceFilter by English and your country, then press ▶ to preview a few voices. The same voice as your normal greeting keeps things consistent.
- Generate and downloadType the security code, press Generate, then download the MP3 or pick WAV from the download arrow.
- Upload to your phone systemMost cloud phone systems have a voicemail or greeting setting in the admin portal or app where you can upload an audio file. Look for “greeting”, “voicemail” or “holiday schedule” in its help pages.
- Schedule it, then switch backMany systems let you set a holiday schedule so the greeting turns on and off by itself. If yours does not, set a reminder to switch back to your normal greeting on the day you reopen.
Phone system only lets you record by phone?
Some carrier voicemail boxes and desk phones do not accept file uploads. In that case, play the audio from your computer or phone speaker close to the handset in a quiet room while you record the greeting. For a full menu (“press one for sales”) and on-hold audio, see the phone greeting and IVR page, the on-hold message generator and the IVR script examples.
Frequently asked questions
What do you say on a holiday voicemail greeting?
Say your business name, the days you are closed, the exact day and date you reopen, what to do now (leave a message, email or call an emergency line) and a short holiday wish.
Should I say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?
Either is fine. “Happy holidays” works for every caller and every date from Thanksgiving to New Year. Use “Merry Christmas” if it fits your business and customers.
How long should a holiday voicemail greeting be?
About 15 to 25 seconds, which is 40 to 60 words. Put the reopening date near the start.
Can I upload an AI voice greeting to my business phone?
Most cloud phone systems accept an uploaded audio file as a greeting. Check your phone system’s requirements for file type (MP3 or WAV) and length.
Is the holiday greeting free for business use?
Yes. Text to Speech is free with no sign-up, and business use of the audio is included.
Can I make the greeting in Spanish too?
Yes. Make a second version with a Spanish voice, or record one greeting with both languages, English first.
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