The Greeting Merry Christmas

When markets glow with electric lights, bright colors adorn the white ground, the crisp breeze rings the bells, kids count days for Santa’s visit, and carols constantly and rhythmically echo at a distance, we know that Christmas is around the corner. Christmas is a festival of Christians and is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. On this day and throughout the season people wish each other by saying ‘Merry Christmas’. Have you ever thought why we wish each other with this greeting? Your curiosity will be satisfied after you go through the account below as the reason about the greeting ‘Merry Christmas’ is harmonized here.

Origin of ‘Merry Christmas’
These days people greet each other around the day of Christmas with ‘Merry Christmas’. Peeping into the origin of this practice you will find it a little ambiguous.
It is believed that the term ‘Merry Christmas’ was first used by an English admiral in an informal letter in 1699. Charles Dickens used the same phrase in his creation "A Christmas Carol” in 1843. However, despite the reality of its origin, "Merry Christmas" has become a type of universal term to communicate happiness and good wishes.

Is Merry Christmas a Religious Term?
The term ‘Merry Christmas’ is not associated with religion. People of all religious backgrounds and races use it during Christmas time. It echoes the messages of love, joyfulness and good wishes that are communicated irrespective of belief systems. This greeting makes strangers have immediate connection. It acts as a message that fades out misunderstanding between people. Amazingly, these two simple words "Merry Christmas" have a profound effect.

Variation of Merry Christmas
A slight variation of the term "Merry Christmas" is used in some places on the planet. Some people prefer wishing "Happy Christmas" instead of ‘Merry Christmas’ in Ireland and Great Britain. Though, the power and connotation of the phrase is not lessened at all just because of a difference in choice of words. The reason is the intention of love and well being remains the same, irrespective of the phrase used.

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain used the phrase "Happy Christmas". Then it continued to gain recognition in that part of the world. It is also noteworthy that Clement Moore used "Happy Christmas in his famous creation "A visit from St. Nicholas".

Popularity of Merry Christmas
Throughout the globe, there are several terms for holiday greeting that are used. ‘Merry Christmas’ remains an extremely famous term where Christian populace is ample like United States, Canada, Great Britain and Australia. Other terms used about the same time of the year as greetings are "Happy holidays", "Season's Greetings" and "Happy Christmas."
Many people don’t like the use of "Merry Christmas". They prefer a more common term such as “Happy Christmas”. It is interesting to note that a survey discovered in 2005 that principally for greeting cards more consumers used "Merry Christmas" than "Happy Christmas".

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As a matter of fact, irrespective of the term that is used, what matters is the intent. Using words is just a way of sending your greetings. Though the origin of the greeting ‘Merry Christmas’ is not clear but its popularity knows no bounds. And when we greet people with these words ‘Merry Christmas’, there is no doubt about the goodness of our intentions.

Also check - Christmas Messages & New Year Messages