When Did Happy Christmas Replace Merry Christmas?

Call me old fashioned but it’s always been “Merry Christmas” and never “Happy Christmas”.  Happy goes before the New Year bit. So when and who changed it to “Happy Christmas”?

There are plenty of songs with the wording “Merry Christmas” in title and lyrics. Try singing one of these replacing the word “Merry” with “Happy”. It’s just so wrong!

There’s “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” for starters.

What about Shakin’ Stevens “Merry Christmas Everyone”

Judy Garland will long be remembered for her classic “Have Yourself  a Merry Little Christmas”

The King himself Elvis Presley singing “Merry Christmas Baby”.

Let’s not forget our furry friends The Wombles singing “Wombling Merry Christmas” Well maybe we should forget this one!..

…but not “Merry Christmas Darling” this has been recorded by just about everyone from the Johnny Mathis to The Carpenters and more recently Christina Perri. iTunes alone list over 40 different artists who have recorded this song.

There must be dozens of films with Merry Christmas in the title – My favourite is “Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence” starring David Bowie and Tom Conti. Not the merriest (or happiest) of films however as its centred around a Japanese prisoner of war camp so very little “Goodwill to All Mankind” going about. Need I say more!

So try and remember next time you are about to say Happy Christmas – don’t! Let’s campaign to get back to Merry Christmas, just as it was always meant to be. “Happy” belongs with “Happy New Year”.

From everyone at Belfast Plumbing Services “We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”.

#MerryChristmas