Happy or merry?

[HappyOrMerry]

Sat here thinking about how I should wrap gifts and write all our Christmas cards tomorrow as I am off.. And I cannot for the life of me decide if it's "Happy Christmas & a happy new year" or "Merry Christmas & a happy new year". Merry Christmas is more American, isn't it? What will you write in yours?

I’ve always gone with Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. For some reason I thought Happy was more American.

I’m sure nobody would mind either though!

Part of the transatlantic divide on this is that the song 'we wish you a merry Christmas' may not be a common tradition in the US. I'm not sure if the king referred to is necessarily royalist or could be taken as referring to Jesus?

Ooo it’s been a whole year and I’ve never managed to get it into a conversation since but it has bugged me!
Last year I received a card wishing me a ‘Jolly Christmas’ - jolly!!
It can be either happy or merry but never jolly!

I tend to say happy because my r’s aren’t 100%, but then I never group Christmas and new year together, I wouldn’t say happy for both

‘We wish you a Merry Christmas… to you and your kin’ - kin as in family, not king.

Has to be happy, can't view 'Merry Christmas' the same since it briefly became me code for 'f off' (long story)

I was just about to sign the posties card love.. That can't be right. What on earth do I put for a postie (that I do like very much)?

Happy Christmas and Best wishes for 2022! From HappyOrMerry x

Jolly Christmas and a Covid free New Year?

@HomeSliceKnowsBest

Jolly Christmas and a Covid free New Year?

Christ, I fucking hope so. Just got off the phone with my nan that I can't visit until it calms down more due to her age and her living abroad. It's killing me.

@LifeAdvice my DM said the same when I was growing up - she said Merry was associated with drunkenness, so I was always to wish older people a Happy Christmas when I saw them.

@HappyOrMerry

I was just about to sign the posties card love.. That can't be right. What on earth do I put for a postie (that I do like very much)?

With thanks, maybe? Or just best wishes

@Midwinterblues

‘We wish you a Merry Christmas… to you and your kin’ - kin as in family, not king.

You're quite right. I think it's one of those things I misheard when I was young and it got ingrained.

Americans do not say Happy Christmas. I’ve only heard that in the UK.

Merry-making wasn't just drunkiness, it was playing games/instruments, or dancing and decorating the house, wearing our best clothes etc.

The upper classes moved towards happy, because they didn't want to be associated with lower class rowdiness. If you look at the origin of the figgy pudding line, which was running house to house and not leaving until you got a treat, that explains why. There was a community aspect of feasting/dancing which the upper classes were appalled at.
Merry Christmas is documented from Henry V111 times. I'm WC and like to make merry, so it's MC and HNY for me.
The television documentaries on the origins of traditions are worth a watch.

@Ponoka7 what are the documentaries called? Those would be interesting watching.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year for me

This thread has reminded me of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen and how the comma placement means it's not telling merry gentlemen to have a rest.

Merry means happy and bright. It's a bit of a stretch to think it'd mean anything else on a Christmas card.
The first Christmas card in 1843 had Merry Christmas and Happy New Year on it . I rest my case.

www.zazzle.co.uk/the_first_christmas_card-239026366475150927

...though it does have people holding glasses of something probably alcoholic! They knew how to party, those Victorians

The answer to this conundrum lies in the question:
"Woudl you wish anyone a Merry Birthday"?

Arghh... this thread has got me singing/whistling 'We wish you a Merry Christmas' and it's still only November!