Meaning & use
Merry Christmas
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
A greeting said to someone at Christmas, wishing them a happy holiday.
Grammar: Used on its own as a complete greeting, not as part of a longer sentence.
Patterns
- say Merry Christmas to someone
- wish someone a Merry Christmas
She waved and called out, "Merry Christmas!" as she left the party.
We send cards to our neighbors every year saying Merry Christmas.
He wished me a Merry Christmas and gave me a small box of chocolates.
Common combinations
- wish someone a Merry Christmas
- I called my grandmother to wish her a Merry Christmas.
- say Merry Christmas
- The shop assistant smiled and said Merry Christmas as we paid.
- a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
- The card read, "Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."
Synonyms and how they differ
- Happy Christmas
- Common in British English and slightly more formal; 'Merry Christmas' is the usual form in American English.
Commonly confused: Merry Christmas or Happy New Year?
Merry Christmas vs Happy New Year
This is the greeting for January 1, not for December 25; people often say both together at Christmas.
Practice
Which sentence uses the greeting correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Wished us a Merry Christmas' is the natural pattern and fits the December 25 setting. Option An is wrong because the greeting belongs to the Christmas season, not July, and options B and D use the phrase as a verb, which it is not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Merry Christmas”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.