a “happy Christmas.” Is it merry or happy Christmas, Mr. President?
Like many others, I’m left wondering whether we should actually be
greeting “Merry Christmas,” or “Happy Christmas” at this time.
I wanted to upbraid the President for choosing to go against the
grain, but decided to do a simple online search first.
What I found
surprised me a bit.
I found out that the greeting has been caught up
with religious affiliation, colonialism, and morality all in one.
However, there is no doubt about it: the traditional Christmas
salutation, as we know it, began in the 14th century as “merry
Christmas.” This tradition continued for the next five centuries until
the current Queen of England (Queen Elizabeth II) changed it when she
began to wish her British and Commonwealth subjects a “happy Christmas.”
Although “happy Christmas” quickly gained currency, in the United
States, the people still stuck to the traditional greeting of “merry
Christmas,” as does most of the traditional Christian religions that
came before the reformation.
What was Queen Elizabeth’s reason for changing the greeting?
Simply
put, she did not want her people to embark on actions that bespeak
“merriness” at Christmas – boisterousness and social binges such as we
are wont to have in Nigeria. She preferred a more sober celebration, and
therefore avoided the word “merry” and chose a more sober “happy”
Christmas in her greetings. In some countries, such as Holland, some
churches avoided the two words altogether and went for “blessed
Christmas.”
Is the Queen and our President right in wishing their subjects a merry Christmas?
The answer may well lie in the significance of this festival –
Christmas is the celebration of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into
the world, and a precursor to our second encounter when He comes again.
There is no doubt in my mind that you will find the correct greeting
when you consider this question: “If and when the Lord comes again,
would you run to meet him with a happy (sober) or a merry (boisterous)
mien?
I guess it will also depend on how one has lived ones life as well!
Merry Christmas, Mr. President!
POSTSCRIPT
Pope Francis, in his Urbi et Orbi (Christmas Message and Apostolic Blessing) 2014 began and ended with the words, “Happy Christmas.” It was a sombre message,
taking a sweep of the sad events and acts of wickedness that have
occurred in many parts of the world this year, 2014.
The Pope recognized
that “truly, there are so many tears this Christmas.” Is it the final
word on the controversy?
Time will tell – exactly 12 months from now.
best celebrity weight loss, how to build muscle and lose fat as you lose weight, rytary side effects weight loss, does adhd medication make you lose weight, best weight loss drug over the counter, sense of smell and weight loss, student teacher from kingsley university loses 37lb in 1 mouth with no diet pills, burn appetite suppressant, dr ramya vedula, chicken leg slow cooker recipes keto, instant pot recipes gluten free keto complete meal, weight loss performance, easy loss program weight, v7 diet pills price, how much weight to lose to drop 3 dress sizes, keto sadad dressing recipes, diuretics to lose weight fast, if i lose weight will my feet get smaller, weight loss in first trimester during pregnancy, green tea or coffee for weight loss, how to make celery juice for weight loss, weight loss plan for children, dinner for lose weight, benefits of coconut butter weight loss, keto ham bone soup recipes, how many calories in day to lose weight, how to lose weight in a week at home, diet pills kids, will punching bag help lose weight, collagen supplements for fast weight loss, iodine dosage for weight loss, do weight loss pills work with exercise, diet vitamin pills, protein shake for weight loss brand, keto lard recipes, visalus sciences weight loss reviews, taking diet pills with nexplanon, isopure zero carb weight loss, facebook weight loss spam, keto recipes for bake fish, is high starch diet weight loss, top foods for weight loss, weight loss plans for busy moms, become certified weight loss coach, foods to eat after exercise for weight loss, why insurance is bullshit towards people who lose weight, exercise for weight loss after c section, best lunch for losing weight, lance washington kokomo,
Author
