Christmas is a relatively modern festival. If you want to be traditional, and you're also into arboricultural risk assessment, you could wish everyone a "Sule Yule".
and yet to Scandinavians the word "Jul" means "Christmas". It's "Noel" in French, "Navidad" in Spanish, etc...Clearly it all depends where your from. (period, full stop, "point" etc...) Here in the USA we wish you a "Merry Christmas", but we don't have a clue about figgy pudding! Lang may yer lum reek!
a votre santee, pipewatcher
I just talked to Tradition and he said he's awfully angry at being 'kept'. It's all good though, I slipped him a nail file hidden in a Christmas Cake, he's going to try to break out later. We can ask him then.
I vote for "merry." "Happy" is a more of a state of being, which has traditionally been applied to New Year's because the wish is for the entire year. "Merry" I think of as being an individual experience - a wish for the day itself. I've actually never heard Happy Christmas, anyway.
So, merriment has dubious associations, presumably gaiety even more so. Happiness is certainly suspect, being possibly unearned. Jollity leads to no good, and is banned outright. Seasons Greetings may refer to fertility rites and thus has pagan connotations. That leaves Pleasant Holidays, or even safer: Have A Nice Day.
In my experience, for English-ish derivatives, it's Merry Christmas west of the Atlantic, and Happy Christmas east of it. When you get into other languages the whole game changes.
"Wishing You A Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year" has long been the standard greeting on Christmas cards in England, so I tend to see Merry Christmas as the norm.
Charles Dickens ("A Christmas Carol", etc.,) could probably help out. He was around when the English Christmas was being re-invented.
In Australia we say 'Happy Christmas' - but with creeping
Americanisation you hear 'Merry' sometimes too. In my multicultural
workplace I don't use the 'C' word at all if I can help it out of courtesy.
I work in an extremely mulitcultural workplace, it doesn't stop people of other religions and cultures getting into the christmas spirit. Our whole section 100+ people had competitions to see who could decorate their team desks the best. I looks amazing. We had Kris Kringle at work and a christmas party and everyrone came. Even those who don't usually celebrate Christmas and everyone had a great time. I've always said Merry Christmas and I have lived in Australia for 31 years.
As I understand it, the Yule Log is the base of a Christmas tree saved from the previous year and burned Christmas morning. I think it's also supposed to be wrapped up with Christmas decorations/gift wrappings from the year before as well.
I prefer the feline version which is: "Meowy Chrismouse and Happy Mew Year".
SWFL Fiddler, if you and your children will distract the jailers, my wife and I can probably steal the key and let Tradition out of jail. Maybe you could stand in front of the jail and play your fiddle while your kids dance and play to distract the jailers.
Some people are so serious and uptight that they think we can't celebrate Christmas by partying and having fun because we are supposed to be celebrating the birth of Jesus (although He may actually have been born in March--according to the experts).
Shoddy fiddle player, the hospital where I work is a multicultural workplace with people from many different countries but none of the people from other countries object to this hospital putting on an Official Christmas Party every year in December. Most of the employees attend the party and have a good time no matter what country they came from originally.
The only year when I did have any problems was the year when one of the minor functionaries who works in the Director's Office asked if I would play some Christmas songs on the piano for the Official Christmas Party. This person was so afraid of offending anybody from another country and/or a different religious tradition that she told me I couldn't play any religious songs for the Official Christmas Party.
I ignored her and played what I wanted to play at the Party. This functionary didn't like the fact that I played some religious songs along with the secular songs and complained to my supervisor (who was smart enough to refuse to get dragged into this dispute).
Since I have been a member of the employee union for many years, I spoke to the union steward about this situation and the union chief discussed it with the hospital director. I don't know what the director said to this functionary person but she is still refusing to speak to me when she sees me.
Which is more traditional?
Which is more traditional?
I need some assistance from the keepers of the tradition - which is more authentic, Merry Christmas or Happy Christmas???
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by continuo
Re: Which is more traditional?
depends where you are from....
Canada tradition is -- Merry Christmas
(i think modern take is Happy in places, kinda wishy-washy like Seasons Greetings)
Merry Christmas !
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by jimbo77
Re: Which is more traditional?
Christmas is a relatively modern festival. If you want to be traditional, and you're also into arboricultural risk assessment, you could wish everyone a "Sule Yule".
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by Jerry O'Donnell
Re: Which is more traditional?
now the discussion must be - when wishing "whatever" Christmas greeting, are you adding that "Christian" expression, or just a seasonal hi?
Because "yule" is terribly nonChristian that got mixed into the celebration by questionable means.
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by jimbo77
Re: Which is more traditional?
and yet to Scandinavians the word "Jul" means "Christmas". It's "Noel" in French, "Navidad" in Spanish, etc...Clearly it all depends where your from. (period, full stop, "point" etc...) Here in the USA we wish you a "Merry Christmas", but we don't have a clue about figgy pudding! Lang may yer lum reek!
a votre santee, pipewatcher
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by pipewatcher
Re: Which is more traditional?
Some Christian groups feel that 'merry' has associations with the consumption of alcoholic beverages, upon which they frown.
Waes heal !
Drinc hael !
hic
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by David50
Re: Which is more traditional?
I suppose the phrase "Christmas Cheer" is right out, then?
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by pipewatcher
Re: Which is more traditional?
I just talked to Tradition and he said he's awfully angry at being 'kept'. It's all good though, I slipped him a nail file hidden in a Christmas Cake, he's going to try to break out later. We can ask him then.
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Which is more traditional?
I vote for "merry." "Happy" is a more of a state of being, which has traditionally been applied to New Year's because the wish is for the entire year. "Merry" I think of as being an individual experience - a wish for the day itself. I've actually never heard Happy Christmas, anyway.
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by Ailin
Re: Which is more traditional?
Ailin -- nice thought !
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by jimbo77
Re: Which is more traditional?
So, merriment has dubious associations, presumably gaiety even more so. Happiness is certainly suspect, being possibly unearned. Jollity leads to no good, and is banned outright. Seasons Greetings may refer to fertility rites and thus has pagan connotations. That leaves Pleasant Holidays, or even safer: Have A Nice Day.
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by oldstrings
Re: Which is more traditional?
In my experience, for English-ish derivatives, it's Merry Christmas west of the Atlantic, and Happy Christmas east of it. When you get into other languages the whole game changes.
What's with the yule log anyway?
# Posted on December 23rd 2008 by cjp
Re: Which is more traditional?
... you burn it when it snows, silly! (from one who wouldn't know)
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by Clear Drops
Re: Which is more traditional?
"Wishing You A Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year" has long been the standard greeting on Christmas cards in England, so I tend to see Merry Christmas as the norm.
Charles Dickens ("A Christmas Carol", etc.,) could probably help out. He was around when the English Christmas was being re-invented.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by nicholas
Re: Which is more traditional?
Or try Going here =
http://www.santas.net/howmerrychristmasissaid.htm
Nollaig Shona Dhuit
jim,,
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by FIDDLE4
Re: Which is more traditional?
Mele Kalikimaka.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by jwvansteenwyk
Re: Which is more traditional?
In Australia we say 'Happy Christmas' - but with creeping
Americanisation you hear 'Merry' sometimes too. In my multicultural
workplace I don't use the 'C' word at all if I can help it out of courtesy.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by Hup
Re: Which is more traditional?
I work in an extremely mulitcultural workplace, it doesn't stop people of other religions and cultures getting into the christmas spirit. Our whole section 100+ people had competitions to see who could decorate their team desks the best. I looks amazing. We had Kris Kringle at work and a christmas party and everyrone came. Even those who don't usually celebrate Christmas and everyone had a great time. I've always said Merry Christmas and I have lived in Australia for 31 years.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by bb
Re: Which is more traditional?
funny. do you Australians consider your country to be West or East of the Atlantic?
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by pipewatcher
Re: Which is more traditional?
"What's with the yule log anyway?"
As I understand it, the Yule Log is the base of a Christmas tree saved from the previous year and burned Christmas morning. I think it's also supposed to be wrapped up with Christmas decorations/gift wrappings from the year before as well.
Ya probably should check Wikipedia.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by Fishmonger
Re: Which is more traditional?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule_log
I had questionable info.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by Fishmonger
Re: Which is more traditional?
ooohh right - I thought a yule log was one of those chocolate things you get at the store.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by bb
Re: Which is more traditional?
I always liked, "Be of good cheer" ala Charlie Brown.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by PatrickJWK
Re: Which is more traditional?
it's a confection of cake and ice cream available for a short time only this time of year from Baskin-Robbins!
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by pipewatcher
Re: Which is more traditional?
Never heard Happy Christmas?
You scum bag, You maggot, You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse, I pray God It's our last
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by Steve Shaw
Re: Which is more traditional?
I prefer the feline version which is: "Meowy Chrismouse and Happy Mew Year".
SWFL Fiddler, if you and your children will distract the jailers, my wife and I can probably steal the key and let Tradition out of jail. Maybe you could stand in front of the jail and play your fiddle while your kids dance and play to distract the jailers.
Some people are so serious and uptight that they think we can't celebrate Christmas by partying and having fun because we are supposed to be celebrating the birth of Jesus (although He may actually have been born in March--according to the experts).
Shoddy fiddle player, the hospital where I work is a multicultural workplace with people from many different countries but none of the people from other countries object to this hospital putting on an Official Christmas Party every year in December. Most of the employees attend the party and have a good time no matter what country they came from originally.
The only year when I did have any problems was the year when one of the minor functionaries who works in the Director's Office asked if I would play some Christmas songs on the piano for the Official Christmas Party. This person was so afraid of offending anybody from another country and/or a different religious tradition that she told me I couldn't play any religious songs for the Official Christmas Party.
I ignored her and played what I wanted to play at the Party. This functionary didn't like the fact that I played some religious songs along with the secular songs and complained to my supervisor (who was smart enough to refuse to get dragged into this dispute).
Since I have been a member of the employee union for many years, I spoke to the union steward about this situation and the union chief discussed it with the hospital director. I don't know what the director said to this functionary person but she is still refusing to speak to me when she sees me.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: Which is more traditional?
Merry over here
# Posted on December 31st 2008 by celticagent