Happy Christmas or Merry Christmas?

Happy Christmas or Merry Christmas? – Why do we say Merry Christmas and not Happy Christmas. #HappyChristmas #MerryChristmas

Happy Christmas or Merry Christmas?

Happy Christmas or Merry Christmas?

Think about it for a moment, all other holidays we say Happy and then the holiday. Like Happy Easter, Happy Birthday, Happy Halloween, Happy New Year, etc. We don’t say Merry Easter, Merry Birthday, Merry Halloween or Merry New Year.

We only say Merry then the holiday to Christmas.

From what I found …

“Happy” is an emotional condition,
while “merry” is a behavior.

Furthermore, happy, which came from the word “hap,” meaning luck or chance implies good-fortune. Meanwhile, “merry” implies a more active showing of happiness—which you might think of as merry-making.

Country Living

Did you know 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”. According to Why Christmas.

It could also be due to Charles Dickens book A Christmas Carol.

Now the Queens English, like that in England still use Happy Christmas because it gained popularity from Queen Elizabeth II, who used Happy Christmas instead of Merry Christmas.

Yea and sometimes people will say Merry XMas or Happy XMas.

First published December 2, 2019. Last updated or republished December 10, 2020.

About the Author

Steve Patterson

A Christian Blogger that enjoys blogging about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays, sewing and much more. I have been blogging since 2004, however, I have been blogging on Courageous Christian Father since 2012. I enjoy listening to Christian Music. I am married with 1 daughter, 2 step-sons and a step daughter.

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