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[[/b][/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/w/index.php?title=Holiday_greetings&action=edit§ion=1][b][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]edit[/b][/u][/color][/size][/url][b][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]] Merry/Happy Christmas[/b]
The greetings and farewells "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Christmas" are traditionally used in North America, the United Kingdom, and Ireland beginning a few weeks prior to the Christmas holiday on [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/December_25][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]December 25[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000] of every year.
The phrase is often preferred when it is known that the receiver is a [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Christian][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Christian[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000] or celebrates Christmas. In the late 20th century, as Christians in increasingly multi-cultural societies continue becoming more sensitive to and respectful of non-Christians and non-Christian faiths, the phrase has become somewhat less ubiquitous than it was in the rest of 20th century. The nonreligious sometimes use the greeting as well, however in this case its meaning focuses more on the secular aspects of Christmas, rather than the [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Nativity of[/u][/color][/size][/url] [url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Jesus][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Jesus[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000].
Its meanings and variations are:
As "Merry Christmas", the traditionally used greeting for those from America and the UK, composed of [/color][/size][url=http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/merry][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]merry[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000] ([i]jolly, happy[/i]) and Christmas ([/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Old_English][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Old English[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]: [i]Cristes mæsse[/i], for [i]Christ's Mass[/i]).
As "Merry Xmas", usually used to avoid the length of "[i]Merry Christmas[/i]", with the "X" (sometimes controversially) replacing "Christ". ([i]see [/i][/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Xmas][i][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Xmas[/i][/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000])
As "Happy Christmas", an equivalent that is commonly used in the [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/United_Kingdom][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]United Kingdom[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000] and [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Ireland][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Ireland[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000], as well as "Merry Christmas".
As "Feliz Navidad", which is the [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Spanish_language][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Spanish language[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000] equivalent of "[i]Happy Christmas[/i]", but is frequently used in English context. The phrase "Felices Fiestas", the Spanish language counterpart of "Happy Holidays" has also been used in some Spanish speaking communities. This is not simply to be [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Political_correctness][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]politically correct[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000] but simply to include all winter holidays that are celebrated in relation to Christmas in the Spanish-speaking world.
As of 2005, this greeting still remains popular among countries with large Christian populations, including, among others, the United States, [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Canada][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Canada[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000], the United Kingdom, Ireland, [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Australia][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Australia[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000], [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/South_Africa][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]South Africa[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000], and [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Mexico][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Mexico[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]. It also remains popular in non-Christian areas such as the [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]People's Republic of China[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000] and [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Japan][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Japan[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000], where Christmas is still widely celebrated due to [/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/wiki/Western_world][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000]Western[/u][/color][/size][/url][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000] influences. Though it has somewhat decreased in popularity in the United States and Canada over the past decades, polls from 2005 indicate that it is more popular than "Happy Holidays" or other alternatives.[/color][/size][url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/l%20cite_note-preferMC-0][u][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000][1][/u][/color][/size][/url][b][size=25][color:50fe=#ff0000][/b][/color][/size]
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