Today I learned something fun about the way we talk during the holidays — and now I’m hearing Christmas greetings in a whole new way!
In America, we almost always say “Merry Christmas.”
But in many other countries, especially in the UK, people still say “Happy Christmas.”
So where did “merry” come from?
Long ago, merry didn’t just mean joyful — it meant lighthearted, cheerful, and full of good spirits.
Sometimes it even meant “pleasantly tipsy,” which makes me laugh every time I think about it.
But here’s what truly locked the phrase into our hearts:
Charles Dickens.
When he wrote A Christmas Carol, he used the phrase “Merry Christmas” again and again — and it spread like snowflakes across the English-speaking world. Soon it became the warm, familiar greeting we use today.
I love that “merry” carries a sense of warmth and heart-happiness.
It’s not just about being happy — it’s about being full of cheer.
Today I learned that when we say “Merry Christmas,” we’re really saying:
“May your heart be light and your spirit be full.”
And that makes this little holiday phrase feel even more beautiful to me.
