December is a time of celebration across the world. But not everyone celebrates in the same way or for the same reasons. Wishing friends, colleagues and clients well during this time is therefore not as simple as repeating a single message. With multiple religions, cultures and customs at play, it’s important to know what to say (or what not to say) to show respect.
If you know your audience, follow the rules
A case in point is the recent blunder from US vice president JD Vance. An invite to a Hanukkah reception included the phrase “Celebrating 50 years of Christmas”, sparking reaction from the Jewish community. In an attempt to cover up the oversight, a spokesperson stated that the phrasing was intentional to maintain consistency across event invites, with the focus being on welcoming all guests. This was not the first holiday season mistake from the White House: In 2008, George W Bush’s Hanukkah reception invites included images of Christmas trees; that time, an apology was at least issued for the mistake.
The lesson is simple: If you know your audience’s religion or culture, make sure your greeting aligns with the relevant customs and beliefs. If you’re not clued up on the traditions, do your research. In addition to Christianity and Judaism, several other groupings have holidays and festivals in December, for example Yule in Norse culture and Ōmisoka in Japan.
‘Merry Christmas’ remains the standard greeting for people who celebrate Christmas
For people who observe Christmas as celebrating the birth of Jesus, which is generally more common in the Western world, saying ‘Merry Christmas’ or ‘Happy Christmas’ is perfectly acceptable. Christmas comes from the Old English ‘Cristes Maesse’ (the Mass of Christ), which dates back to 1038 and was used to describe the mass held to commemorate Christ’s birth.
One of the earliest known uses of the phrase is in a letter from Bishop John Fisher to Thomas Cromwell in 1534. But it really grew in popularity in the 19th century when authors like Charles Dickens included it when they signed their name at the end of a book. The 19th century also brought the invention of chromolithography, which made it possible to print colourful greeting cards. During this time, the first known card saying “A merry Christmas and a happy new year to you” was sent.
‘Happy holidays’ is considered inclusive and neutral
In cases where people don’t observe specific religious holidays or don’t have any religious inclination, ‘Happy holidays’ is seen as a safe bet. Interestingly, the greeting has religious roots. The word ‘holiday’ emerged in the 1500s as a replacement of the medieval word ‘haliday’, which had supplanted ‘haligdæg’, meaning holy day. Initially, Christians therefore often used the phrase among themselves, with the ‘holidays’ referring to Advent in the Christian calendar.
As Christmas became more secular and a global celebration, the use of ‘Happy holidays’ became more common and universal to include people of various religions and to represent the general theme of family, love and joy.
Make it personal
Wishing someone well in their home language is an excellent way to make them feel that you acknowledge and respect their background and culture. If you’re sending holiday wishes to people in different countries, here are a few phrases to help you personalise the main message.
|
Happy holidays |
Merry Christmas |
Happy new year |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Afrikaans |
Lekker feestyd |
Geseënde Kersfees |
Gelukkige nuwejaar |
|
Danish |
Glædelig jul |
Glædelig jul |
Godt nytår |
|
Dutch |
Fijne feestdagen |
Vrolijk kerstfeest |
Gelukkig nieuwjaar |
|
French |
Bonnes fêtes |
Joyeux Noël |
Bonne année |
|
German |
Frohe Feiertage |
Frohe Weihnachten |
Frohe Weihnachten |
|
Italian |
Buone feste |
Buon Natale |
Buon anno |
|
Japanese |
Ii kyuuka wo (良い休日を 。) |
Meri-kurisumasu (メリークリスマス) |
Yoi o toshi o! (良いお年を。) |
|
Mandarin |
Jiérì kuàilè (节日快乐) |
Shèngdàn Jié kuàilè (圣诞节快乐) |
Xīnnián kuàilè (新年快乐) |
|
Norwegian |
God ferie/jul |
God jul |
Godt nytt år |
|
Polish |
Wesołych Świąt |
Wesołych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia! |
Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku |
|
Portuguese |
Boas Festas |
Feliz Natal |
Feliz ano novo |
|
Spanish |
¡Felices fiestas |
¡Feliz Navidad |
¡Feliz Año Nuevo |
|
isiXhosa |
Iholide ezimnandi |
Ikrismesi emnandi |
Nyakhomtsha |
|
isiZulu |
Amaholide ajabulisayo |
Ukhisimusi omuhle |
Jabulela unyaka omusha |
Tips for respectful holiday messages
If you want to send thoughtful holiday messages and use language as a tool to build connections (instead of triggering offence), follow these basic principles:
- Take the time to learn about different religions and traditions.
- If you know the person’s religion or customs, be specific in how you phrase the message to show them you respect their beliefs.
- Avoid stereotypes and don’t make assumptions. For example, if someone is from a specific country, don’t assume they follow the main religion of the country.
- If you don’t know the religion or inclination of your audience or you’re addressing a wide, cross-cultural audience, focus on universal themes and values like hope, joy and community.
All of that said, regardless of where, what and how you spend the festive season, may it be filled with joy. And love. And peace.
Sources
https://sjquillen.medium.com/merry-christmas-or-happy-holidays-why-does-it-matter-a4abd3c0f495
https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/happy-holidays-around-the-world
https://www.history.com/articles/the-war-of-words-behind-happy-holidays
https://www.rev.com/blog/holiday-greetings-different-languages
