Why do British say happy Christmas instead of merry Christmas?
Early church leaders in Great Britain may have encouraged Christian followers to be happy rather than engage in merrymaking! In this sense, Happy Christmas is a bit more conservative and reserved than Merry Christmas, which conveys a more emotional, unrestrained celebration.
Why do British people say happy Christmas instead of merry Christmas?
Happy Christmas is a British English version and was adopted by the Royal Family in the past as their preferred greeting. It is also considered somewhat posh version of the greeting. Queen's Christmas message to this day still ends up with ``Happy Christmas''.
Brian Earl's Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions traces the first known instance of “Merry Christmas” to a 16th-century letter from a bishop to England's Chief Minister, in which the religious leader hoped God would bless the politician with a “Merry Christmas.” The carol “ ...
Lol. Just did a google on it. Apparently Happy Christmas was adopted as the greeting used by the royal family as the word merry had a more rowdy connotation. The upper classes followed suit and it has since filtered down to the unwashed masses.
Brits say "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas."
You might remember a scene from the first "Harry Potter" movie in which Ron says, "Happy Christmas, Harry!" While this may sound strange to an American, saying "Happy Christmas" is commonplace in the UK, as opposed to "Merry Christmas."
Why Do We Say 'Merry Christmas' Instead of 'Happy Christmas'?
Should you say "merry Christmas" or "happy Christmas"?
In the UK, people say “Happy Christmas” or “Merry Christmas” on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and sometimes during the earlier part of December. In the US, Australia, and Canada, people usually say “Merry Christmas” on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or other days in December.
Just before Christmas and on Christmas Day, people say ' Merry Christmas' to other people to express the hope that they will have a happy time. [formulae]
Most Christians celebrate on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar, which has been adopted almost universally in the civil calendars used in countries throughout the world.
A Royal Weigh-In: Unconventional Tradition's Origins
The underlying purpose was to gauge the guests' enjoyment of the festive feast and ensure that everyone had indulged to their heart's content. If the guests had gained a few pounds, it was considered a testament to the culinary delights of the Christmas spread.
When did people start saying happy holidays instead of Merry Christmas?
Like many catchphrases, happy holidays started with advertising campaigns. By the 1860s newspapers were using Happy Holidays and similar phrases in Christmas advertising. By the 1900s the phrase was everywhere from greeting cards to Christmas carols.
Americans call “Christmas”, wait for it…, “Christmas”. We frequently call the period of weeks around Christmas “the holidays” and have been known to say “Happy Holidays”. Personally during the holiday season, I say “Merry Christmas” to the people I know who celebrate Christmas.
Happy birthday, Happy new year, Happy easter, Happy hanukkah etc etc. Yet it's customary to use both "Happy" and "Merry" in connection with Christmas. You never hear "Merry Birthday" for example, and for whatever reason just saying that combination words feels wrong on the tongue.
In modern Christmas cards produced in the Scots language it is usual to see the message 'A Blithe Yule' meaning 'Happy Christmas' or even 'A Cantie Yule' meaning 'Cheerful or pleasant Christmas'.
Over four in five Australians (85%) prefer the traditional greeting of “Merry Christmas” compared to more neutral salutations like “Season's Greetings” (8%) and “Happy Holidays” (7%).
Why are people saying "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas"?
Early church leaders in Great Britain may have encouraged Christian followers to be happy rather than engage in merrymaking! In this sense, Happy Christmas is a bit more conservative and reserved than Merry Christmas, which conveys a more emotional, unrestrained celebration.
The good news of Christmas is that even when the world or our circumstances change – the message of Christmas is timeless. Because Christmas is about the birth of God's Son – Jesus. It is about how he came to give us love, hope and joy. That message doesn't change from year to year.
What countries celebrate Christmas on December 25th?
Families in countries like the UK, Germany, Ireland, France, US, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Albania, Norway, Finland, and Kenya gather for a Christmas meal on Dec. 25. In Orthodox-majority countries like Georgia, Belarus, Russia, and Serbia, Christmas is celebrated on Jan.
Over time the word "locum" evolved into the French word "lieu", which is pronounced in French as it is spelled. It is possible that when the English heard the French pronounce the compound word lieutenant, they perceived a slurring which they heard as a "v" or "f" sound between the first and second syllables.
Endearments such as 'dear', 'sweetheart', 'darling', but in particular 'love', occupy a special place in the British English address system and usage because of their role in linguistic stereotyping: 'Love' is an intimate form of address that has proliferated into public contexts, where it is stereotypically associated ...
