“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord'” (Luke 2:10-11 ESV).
Do you ever wonder why we say “Merry Christmas?” Why not say, “Happy Christmas” or some other thing?
The 16th century English carol, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” probably promoted the greeting and the commercial printing of Christmas cards in 1843 in London may have spread its usage. But most credit the continuing popularity of Charles Dicken’s, A Christmas Carol, and the Victorian era Christmas traditions it typifies with really popularizing the phrase. First published in 1843, ironically the same year as the first commercial Christmas cards, it became the preferred Christmas greeting in the English speaking world even until this day.
Of course, not everyone believes in saying, “Merry Christmas.” Some prefer “Happy Christmas” because of the unwholesome stigma they attach to the word “merry.” At least that seems to be where the change in preference began, as the word “merry” was understood to include the idea of public insobriety, as in “making merry.” The strong Methodist influence in the United Kingdom during the 19th century probably made “Happy Christmas” the UK preference. Queen Elizabeth II is said to prefer the “Happy” version.
Today in America, there doesn’t seem to be as much resistance to the word “merry” as to the word “Christmas.” As our culture becomes more and more secular, there is a kind of cultural war against saying anything religious in the public square. The generic sounding “Happy Holidays” is preferred by today’s politically correct. They would no doubt have no trouble with sayng “merry,” but I suppose it doesn’t have the alliterative ring that “happy” does.
So we can see that Dicken’s Ebenezer Scrooge isn’t the only one who has had trouble with saying “Merry Christmas.” The cynical Scrooge rudely deflected the friendly greeting and brooded on the foolishness of those who uttered it.
“If I could work my will,” said Scrooge, “every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding.”
If you’re suffering from the spirit of Scrooge this Christmas, you aren’t alone. According to psychologists, Americans miss more work, and complain of a myriad of more health problems that really relate to clinical depression. America, the land where the “pursuit of happiness” is guaranteed by our Constitution, is filled with depressed people. Americans are increasingly unhappy, especially at Christmas. Why are so many Americans “un-merry?”
Perhaps it’s because we’ve misunderstood the message of Christmas. It’s not about whether we say “merry” or “happy.” The angel who announced the very first Christmas said that it was news of “great joy!”
And joy is better than happiness. Happiness depends upon happenings. It comes from the word “hap” which means “luck, happenstance.” Happiness is based on circumstances and when they change we’re not happy anymore.
But this “great joy” that the angel promised is based on knowing and receiving the true gift of Christmas which is Christ Himself. Happiness is based on chance, but joy is based on choice. As Christian, we can choose joy.
Fortunately, after the Spirits of Christmas effected his transformation, Scrooge was able to heartily exchange the wish with all he met, saying, “I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to everybody!”
After which Scrooge learned to laugh again. As Dickens described it, “It was a splendid laugh, a most illustrious laugh. The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs!”
When was the last time that you laughed like that?
Stop worrying about being merry or happy. Decide to have a “Joyful Christmas!”