Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
FSogol's 2018 Advent Calendar Day 17: Merry Christmas vs Happy Christmas?
Why say Merry Christmas? We don't say Merry Birthday, Merry Halloween, or Merry Easter.
Saying 'Merry Christmas' rather than 'Happy Christmas' seems to go back several hundred years. 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 {sic} Christmas, and a comfortable, to your heart’s desire."
There's also the carol "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen" which dates back to the 16th century in England. It comes from the West Country in England and it was first published in the form we know it today in 1760.
In the English language of the time, the phrase 'Rest You Merry' didn't mean simply to be happy; 'rest' meant "to keep, cause to continue to remain" and 'merry' could mean "pleasant, bountiful, prosperous". The comma in the phrase should be AFTER the 'merry' not BEFORE it. But it's often put after the merry which changes the meaning to make 'merry Gentleman' and so a 'Merry Christmas.'
There's also the carol "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen" which dates back to the 16th century in England. It comes from the West Country in England and it was first published in the form we know it today in 1760.
In the English language of the time, the phrase 'Rest You Merry' didn't mean simply to be happy; 'rest' meant "to keep, cause to continue to remain" and 'merry' could mean "pleasant, bountiful, prosperous". The comma in the phrase should be AFTER the 'merry' not BEFORE it. But it's often put after the merry which changes the meaning to make 'merry Gentleman' and so a 'Merry Christmas.'
https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/merrychristmas.shtml
There are two different possible explanations"
The first Christmas Card, sent in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole, had this wording on it: "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You". (as you may remember from my post on Christmas letters). https://www.democraticunderground.com/10181155244
The first card. Note the small child drinking wine
The other source is Charles Dickens', "A Christmas Carol", where he uses the term "merry" 21 times.
The carol, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas (and a Happy New Year)" arrived in 1935, but the term had already stuck by then.
One proponent of "Happy Christmas" was Queen Elizabeth II who used that term in her radio broadcasts. As a result, Happy Christmas is used more in the UK. Clement Clark Moore used Happy Christmas too in "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (more commonly known as "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Of course that was published in 1823, which is before Sir Henry Cole and Charles Dickens commodified the term "Merry."
(For an explanation of my advent project and a link to last years posts, see
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10181152160 )
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
I just did a search so I can read all of these. Had seen a couple but now need to read them all. What a nice deal to put these together, thank you!
and it is perfect that I am late and out of order, as an advent box of chocolates just arrived from Germany today. I get three or four per day now, is that about right? 
