Answer Me This! Podcast

Here’s a festive question from Robert from Philadelphia:

Where does Merry come from, like in Merry Christmas? And why do Americans say Merry Christmas and the Brits say Happy Christmas?

Robert, what a lovely gift for me to be allowed to get my etymological dictionary out. ‘Merry’ comes from the Old English ‘myrige’, which meant pleasant or delightful. It was just as popular in Britain as in America until killjoys like the Queen thought it was a bit too redolent of the other meaning of merry, ie drunken. So ‘Happy Christmas’ became popular too, at least until the Queen decides that it is too redolent of the other meaning of happy, ie coked up to the eyeballs.

Anyway, we are feeling very Merry and Happy at Answer Me This! because we’ve been included in iTunes’ Best of 2008 Podcasts! And on a related note, be sure to check back in on Christmas Day for the Best of Answer Me This! 2008 – Part I.

Photographic proof - best of 2008, baby!

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