2007-10-25 03:25:12 · 27 answers · asked by razmatttaz... 4 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
WHY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND NOT HAPPY? -- All I can figure is that at one point, people in England went around calling everything "merrie." They weren't necessarily happy, but by golly, they were merrie. I based that theory on the following:
"Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" by William and Mary Morris (HarperCollins, second edition, 1977) "Merrie England. England of the Anglo-Saxon period and the Middle Ages was not a very happy place to be, let alone 'merrie.' So why this phrase indicating revelry and joyous spirits, as if England were one perpetual Christmastime? The answer is that the word 'merrie' originally meant merely 'pleasing and delightful,' not bubbling over with festive spirits, as it does today. The same earlier meaning is found in the famous expression, 'the merry month of May.'"
My only other Merry Christmas fact, recycled from an earlier inquiry: "The tradition of sending Christmas cards originated in the mid-1800's when a few people began to design handmade cards to send to family and friends. A man named John Calcott Horsely is credited as being the first to actually print Christmas cards. The card depicted a family enjoying the holiday, with scenes of people performing acts of charity. The card was inscribed:"Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to You" This comes from a very nice site http://www.picklejar.com/traditions.htm that has origins of other Christmas traditions.
Not a very strong case, but all I could come up with. Maybe some of the other Phrase Finders will have a different view.
2007-10-25 03:28:57 · answer #1 · answered by sadiqjoon 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You can say whatever you like - well, as long as it doesn’t offend anyone and their religion. Actually, you are spose to say “Happy Holidays” now instead of Merry Christmas - how stupid is that?
2007-10-25 10:29:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They do... just not in AmeriKan.. Most other languages say something like what you suggested... you just need to be able to Talk some language other than AMERIKAN to understand it.
I just amazes me how AmeriKans, who can not speak any language other than AmeriKan and have never traveled outside AmeriKa... think they are so right and everyone else in the world is so wrong.... AmeriKans have the attitude of wrongly believing that if THEY haven't heard of it... then it doesn't exist.
2007-10-25 10:27:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In parts of Europe I beleive they do say Happy Christmas...
2007-10-25 10:27:50 · answer #4 · answered by jjonesacctony 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They say "Happy Christmas" in the Harry Potter movies.
2007-10-25 10:27:23 · answer #5 · answered by AKA FrogButt 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There's a consirital group of people who control the things we can and cannot say. If you even try to say those things, they will find you and torture you until you quit. They are also the ones who banned foul language.
2007-10-25 10:30:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
some people do say happy christmas.
2007-10-25 10:33:58 · answer #7 · answered by xyz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
*Happy christmas is not so uncommon !!!!
But ''merry'' b/day !!!! sounds quite ''merry''!!
2007-10-26 00:47:04 · answer #8 · answered by ๏๓ รђคภtเ, รђคภtเ รђคภtเ ....... ! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't see why you can't. You're getting across the same thing no matter what word you use.
2007-10-25 10:28:12 · answer #9 · answered by Clear 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well you could i guess. it just sounds better that way. but in my language we actually use (blessed, auspicious) e.g: have a blessed Christmas.
2007-10-25 10:43:51 · answer #10 · answered by nuggeteli 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋