Why Do We Say Merry Christmas And Not Happy Christmas

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Why Do We Say Merry Christmas And Not Happy Christmas

We wish individuals a happy birthday and on the off chance that you re within the usa in november and december you might say happy holidays so why do we say merry christmas more regularly than happy christmas. Saying merry christmas rather than happy christmas seems to go back several hundred years.

Happy Christmas Or Merry Christmas Courageous Christian Father

For starters it s important to note that happy christmas hasn t faded completely it s still widely used in england.

Why do we say merry christmas and not happy christmas. Though happy and merry are synonyms they actually have different connotations. Merry christmas is used in the u s. Today we use merry for christmas the way we use happy for any other holiday but the words themselves technically don t have the exact same meaning.

The phrase merry christmas was first used commercially in the first christmas card. However it is more complex than that. You may hear the phrase merry christmas around the world including in england.

While happy suggests a more general. With this term actually has to do with some of the british upper class. Saying merry christmas instead of happy christmas appears to go back a few hundred a long time.

For starters it s important to note that happy christmas hasn t faded completely it s still widely used in england. So the word merry shifted from a verb to an adjective which over time allowed it to be used in the phrase merry christmas. While happy christmas is used in the u k.

The first christmas card on record was sent in 1843 by sir henry cole and used the phrase a merry christmas and a happy new year. However during the 18th century the use of merry went into decline but stuck around in phrases such as the more the merrier and of course merry christmas. Do you say merry christmas or happy christmas in britain this choice reveals your social class.

It s first recorded in 1534 when john fisher an english catholic bishop in the 1500s wrote it in a christmas letter to thomas cromwell. And this our lord god send you a mery christmas and a comfortable to your heart s desire. This is believed to be because happy took on a higher class connotation than merry which was associated with the rowdiness of the lower classes.

This is believed to be because happy took on a higher class connotation. That being said merry is a much older word but even when the word happy was born both were used in christmas greetings. However the resilience of the u k.

Why Shouldn T I Say Merry Christmas Happy Holidays Isn T The Same