while it seems everyone else says ‘happy christmas’

which imo is a way better phrase, it’s very … pragmatic. happiness is more attainable than merriment. how often is anyone merry?

  • ndru@lemmy.world
    87·
    11 months ago

    Merry Christmas is a popular expression in the UK too.

    I think that merriment is actually much easier to attain than happiness. One could be miserable in life, but have a few drinks and be merry.

    • phorq@lemmy.mlEspañol
      33·
      11 months ago

      Is it wrong for me to say that the pessimism with a side of alcohol is the most British you could possibly describe being merry?

  • RainfallSonata@lemmy.world
    361·
    11 months ago

    Personally, merry Christmas just sounds better than happy Christmas. Something about the repeated “m” sound, I think.

  • Ada@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    332·
    11 months ago

    Who is “everyone else” in this story?

    The only place I know that days Happy Christmas is the UK

    In Australia, it’s merry

    • Mr_Dr_Oink@lemmy.world
      21·
      11 months ago

      I’m from the UK, and I’ve always said merry.

      I doubt it’s any more prevalent in a specific country and more likely specific to individual families and friends.

      For example, i always thought it was an american thing to say happy christmas.

  • TheMongoose@kbin.social
    30·
    11 months ago

    The song goes “We wish you a merry Christmas”, so that’ll always be there for as long as the song is popular.

    Plus (also because of the song, I assume), you say “merry Christmas and a happy new year”, not “happy Christmas and a happy new year”. Too much happy there.

  • whenigrowup356@lemmy.worldEnglish
    17·
    11 months ago

    Insofar as there’s a distinction between the two, I feel like you’ve got it switched. Merriment would be a night out with drinks and friends, whereas deep happiness would be more like contentedness with your life choices. But they’re about the same. Plus “A Christmas Carol” uses Merry, and it’s like the ultimate Christmas story.

  • berkeleyblue@lemmy.world
    239·
    11 months ago

    Tradition, mostly.

    Dickens used Merry Christmas in his Christmas Carol and the US used the greeting since the 19th century.

    In the UK however, happy christmas is more common as the royals used that phrase.

    There’s apparently no big thing behind it. Just the way language evolved with different influences in different regions.

  • JoYo@lemmy.mlEnglish
    142·
    11 months ago

    Around here we wish you a homosexual Christmas

  • angstylittlecatboy@reddthat.comEnglish
    12·
    11 months ago

    “Merry Christmas” is pretty much the only context I see my fellow Americans use the word “Merry” other than deliberately trying to sound upper class British.

  • Sentient LoomEnglish
    131·
    11 months ago

    Canada says Merry Christmas even though we usually do British spelling and measurements.

    Also, the north pole is either in Canada or Russia (not going to look it up) so we are probably correct.

  • donuts@kbin.social
    9·
    11 months ago

    The only people I’ve personally known who exclusively say “Happy Christmas” are Irish. Are you Irish, OP?

  • NounsAndWords@lemmy.world
    134·
    11 months ago

    We like to brag about our ability to still pronounce the R sound.

    Similar to why Brits say Happy Christmas, honestly.

    • IWantToFuckSpez@kbin.social
      522·
      11 months ago

      Lol no. You yanks can’t pronounce the R. The only real R is a rolling R. If your tongue is not tapping and vibrating against your palate you are not pronouncing an R.

      • El Barto@lemmy.world
        132·
        11 months ago

        Stupid comment. You’re referring to the Spanish R, or in a language with a similar R sound.

        Imagine if a French or German person told you that their R is the only way to pronounce the R.

        This kind of misguided gatekeeping is exhausting.

        • SirSamuel@lemmy.world
          53·
          11 months ago

          Dude it was a joke. The first comment was a joke, and the reply was a follow-up “no u” joke. I’m sorry you can’t read into subtext without /s

          Also, Spanish R? Have you not heard of Scots? It’s called apical-alveolar trill, and I wish i could pronounce it better lol

      • sab@kbin.social
        32·
        11 months ago

        There’s a slight chance I could be convinced to accept the french R into the company of real R sounds, but I agree the rolling one is where it’s at. The American one is something special.