The Words We Use Around the Holidays
By: Brittany Lemoine
Tags: Holidays, Writing, Holiday Phrases, Words

There’s simply something uniquely special about this time of the year. The weather is changing, growing ever more colder, even here in Texas where I live. Even more noticeable than this, though, is the approach of all the winter holidays. Everywhere I look, I can see lights and other decorations and whether you’re an entrepreneur, marketer, or simply a consumer, we all notice that extra push to sell.

This season tends to bring about just as much commercial endeavors as warm, fuzzy feelings. Often, besides the tinsel and sale signs, it does this with words, with certain phrases that you’ll almost exclusively hear around the holidays.

It’s true! The way we communicate, come this time of year, can be noted as a certain seasonal shift. Just as the season itself is so unique, the words we use are something different as well.

Let’s take a look at just some ways the words we use around the holidays are a little bit different.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays

We might as well first jump into the most obvious one of all. I won’t get into the dilemma of which phrase is the right one, but we can all agree that folks love to wish each other a special season’s greetings.

In our personal life, we may choose to throw in the phrase of our choice as a sort of replacement to the typical “Have a good day.” We may even be so inclined to send out cards to all our loved ones, regardless of how often we see them. When everyone is so festive, it only makes sense to offer a greeting that matches the proximity to the happy days.

Expect to hear the phrase all throughout the holiday season, especially within the world of retail.

In fact, if you have your own business, you should absolutely be taking advantage of the holidays. Label those big promotions as a “Black Friday sale,” a “Christmas special,” or a “special offer for the holidays.” And don’t forget to wish those customers a very Happy Holidays!

Gifts, gifts, and more gifts…

Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa all include gift-giving as part of their yearly traditions. What this means for your yearly holiday communication is that many words and phrases uttered will be about the gifts that will be bought, exchanged, and received.

While you may grab a birthday gift for a few close friends and family all throughout the year, this time of year ramps up gift-giving to a whole new level. It’s no surprise then that you’ll soon find yourself inquiring about “wish lists” and discussing potential gift options with those around you.

Luckily, many marketers like to come in with our saves for the holiday gift dilemma. In the business world, a time of the year for giving gifts can easily be considered a time for making more sales. One smart tactic that can be used to accomplish this is gift guides which target gift-buying consumers with titles formed of carefully-chosen words.

Hey, if it words, why not play on the fact that this time of year is all about those gifts?

Santa Claus, Christmas Trees, and more symbols of the season

Well, it is about a bit more than just the presents that go under the tree…

Yes, there are lots of symbols and icons that represent what this time of the year means to many of us. And besides using these items as decor and watching the movies, we will almost certainly talk about them.

We’ll ask children what they want Santa to bring them. We’ll boast of our cookie baking skills. We’ll recount the tales of our holiday’s origin, full of all the wonderful language that makes it up.

If we run a small business, we will likely also not fail to pair those seasonal symbols with our brand and products. We may start calling our carrots “reindeer treats’’ or declare our beverage “Santa’s favorite”. The copy of your advertising can often be made so much better by just adjusting the words to fit this festive time of year.

“Good Tidings”, “Good Cheer”, and similar phrases

There are certain ways we wish each other well around the holidays that are simply different than at any other time. We may offer “good tidings” or hope for “good cheer.” These are phrases you’d almost never hear at any other time, but to the holiday season, they’re essential.

As this may be your only chance to use these kinds of phrases, so specific to the season, make sure to go for it!

Revel in the festivities and wish your friends, family, and yes, even customers some incredibly glad tidings for the year.

Wrapping Up the Year Conversations

Of course, it’s important to remember that Christmas and those other big holidays aren’t the only special events around this time. This is also the end of the year, and the time when we celebrate the start of the new year.

As soon as the thrill of presents and new things to play with winds down, expect to hear plenty of wishes for a “Happy New Year!” from all.

Your end-of-the-year conversations are sure to also bring words to the air of the joys and disasters of the year, and of the expectations and goals you might have for the next one. Businesses, as well, may participate in these discussions that help to wrap up the year.