"Merry Christmas"

[Jeff Prucher]

--- "Arnold M. Zwicky" <zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU> wrote:
>
> and now barry popik reminds us:
> ------
> John Lennon used "Happy Christmas." I thought this usage was famous. He
>   used
> to be in a group called the Beatles. They sold a few records...
> _Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon  (Lyrics and Chords)_
> -----
>
>
> by the way, did lennon move into "merry" territory late in his life?
> as peter trudgill has documented, the beatles became more (americanly)
> r-ful as they aged.  did this effect extend to christmas greetings?

This is all rather before my time, but Lennon actually used both "Happy
Christmas" and "Merry Christmas" in the lyrics of the song.  It could be that
"happy" was his normal usage, but he needed to use "merry" because "happy happy
Christmas and a happy New Year" sounds goofy.  Or it could be he used both
himself and didn't see any inconsistency.  Or something else entirely.  But he
did use both at that time.

-Jeff Prucher



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