In the United States and England, people take a little time to greet each other "Merry Christmas!" But all over the world, people say the same thing using different phrases.
Although Christmas has been celebrated since the 4th century AD, it was only in 1543 when the phrase was used. At that time, John Fisher sent a letter to his friend Thomas Cromwell, a letter which was recorded in 1816 in the Strype Ecclesiastical memorials, where the first known record of using the phrase "Merry Christmas" as a greeting is found.
"And this our Lord God send you a merry Christmas, and a comfortable, to your heart's desire," he wrote.
Years later, in 1565, the Hereford Municipal Manuscript contained the following statement: "And thus I comytt you to God, who send you a merry Christmas." However, it was only after more than a century later, in 1699, that the phrase "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" was first used by an English admiral in an informal letter where he combined the two greetings.
In the 1700s, the popular English Christmas carol "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" was born out of a tradition in England's West Country where the wealthy families gave out figgy puddings to carolers. Then in 1843, inventor Sir Henry Cole commissioned painter John Callcott Horsley to illustrate the first Christmas card, which greeted the recipient a "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."
As the Christmas cheer spread out from England to the rest of the world, other countries picked up the phrase to send each other the season's greetings. In North America, including many parts of England, people say "Merry Christmas," but people from other places such as Christmas Island, Jamaica, Fiji and the Cayman Islands also say the same thing.
In Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries including Brazil and Indonesia, they greet each other "Feliz Natal" or "Boas Festas." And in the neighboring country of Spain as well as in Las Vegas, people say "Feliz Navidad." This is the same phrase one can hear in pretty much every other Spanish-speaking country in the world, most of them found in South and Central America.
Over in Ireland, the Irish wish each other a merry (and perhaps intoxicated) Christmas by saying "Nollaig Shona Dhuit," while in Dutch-speaking countries, people say "Zalig Kerstfeest!" There are variations, of course. In Belgium, "Zalig Kerstfeest" is the best thing to say, but in the Netherlands, one can say "Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar" to add a "Happy New Year" or just simply "Zalig Kerstfeest."
In Asia, the Japanese greet each other a "Merii Kurisumasu," while the Chinese have very long versions of the greeting. In Mandarin, it's "Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan." In Cantonese, one says "Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun." And in Hong Kong, people say "Kung Ho Hsin Hsi. Ching Chi Shen Tan" or the shorter "Sing Dan Fiy Loc."
In the Middle East, people also have their own Christmas tidings. In Israel, where Christ was born, people say "Mo'adim Lesimkha" or "Chag Molad Sameach," which means "Happy Festival of the Birth." In other places, including Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Yemen, they say "Milad Mubarak!"
Here is how to say "Merry Christmas" in other languages.
Korea - Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Denmark - Glaedelig Jul
Greece - Kala Chistougenna
Hawaii - Mele Kalikimaka
Hindi - Subh Krisamas
Italy - Buon Natale
Latin - Natale hilare et Annum Faustum
Malaysia - Selamat Hari Krismas
New Zealand - Happy Christmas
Philippines - Maligayang Pasko
Saudi Arabia - I'd Miilad Said Oua Sana Saida
South Africa - Geseende Kersfees
Thailand - Suk Sarn Warn Christmas
And here's how to greet everyone in fantasy languages.
Klingon - toDwl'ma' qoS yltlvqu'
Sindarin - Mereth Veren e-Doled Eruion
