I've been hearing that familiar phrase for a few weeks already. Merry Christmas. I got to wondering why Merry Christmas and happy everything else ? Why can't we have a merry birthday or Thanksgiving. Turns out many of us do. There was a time when I had a Merry Friday night or whatever. My old friend Google provided some insight into this question. It appears that in Great Britain the word Merry implies that you are tipsy or drunk. Why Queen Elizabeth II prefers to say Happy Christmas and so do most Brits. News to me, I thought Merry Christmas was a universal thing.
A little reading up on the subject and the phrase seems to have become popular after Charles Dickens wrote the story, A Christmas Carol. After James Marley said to Scrooge, Merry Christmas, and scrooge replies with, anyone using that greeting should be boiled in their own pudding, the greeting seems to have caught on. Their was a card in England, released in 1843 that is the first known example of Merry Christmas and a Happy New year being used.
Now the singing of Christmas Carols being sung was started by beggars back in jolly old England. They would go door to door singing and begging for food and drink. In America the tradition was continued but they would usually just get a drink. That custom may also have influenced the use of the term, Merry. Remember merry means a little tipsy. It does kinda tie the two celebrations together now doesn't it ?
Well from the little reading I've done on the subject that's my theory. The original carolers also danced in a circle while signing ! Staying warm, celebrating or did they just have to go to the bathroom ? Now there is a question for a real historian.
Oh, in the original book it does say , A Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night. I'll always say Merry Christmas, that phrase is ingrained. Happy Christmas just doesn't seem right at all. But now I can be like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory and have the answer to that question. And it is one of those questions that no one really cares what the answer is ! It can be amusing however, just don't get too Merry and start dancing in circles !
A little reading up on the subject and the phrase seems to have become popular after Charles Dickens wrote the story, A Christmas Carol. After James Marley said to Scrooge, Merry Christmas, and scrooge replies with, anyone using that greeting should be boiled in their own pudding, the greeting seems to have caught on. Their was a card in England, released in 1843 that is the first known example of Merry Christmas and a Happy New year being used.
Now the singing of Christmas Carols being sung was started by beggars back in jolly old England. They would go door to door singing and begging for food and drink. In America the tradition was continued but they would usually just get a drink. That custom may also have influenced the use of the term, Merry. Remember merry means a little tipsy. It does kinda tie the two celebrations together now doesn't it ?
Well from the little reading I've done on the subject that's my theory. The original carolers also danced in a circle while signing ! Staying warm, celebrating or did they just have to go to the bathroom ? Now there is a question for a real historian.
Oh, in the original book it does say , A Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night. I'll always say Merry Christmas, that phrase is ingrained. Happy Christmas just doesn't seem right at all. But now I can be like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory and have the answer to that question. And it is one of those questions that no one really cares what the answer is ! It can be amusing however, just don't get too Merry and start dancing in circles !
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