Do you know exactly where the terms “Christmas” or “Christmastide” originate from?
The word “Christmas” is derived from the Middle High German “ze den wihen nahten” “in den geweihten Nächten”. Christmas, on the other hand, is used in English-speaking countries. Christ for Christ and mas as a short form of ‘mass’. The same applies to the Dutch Kerstmis. And the spelling Xmas is based on the fact that X used to be an abbreviation for Christ His name begins with the letter X in Greek.
The Spanish Navidad for Christmas is founded on the Latin nātīvitātem, the accusative form of nātīvitās ‘birth’. This meaning also underlies the French Noël and the Italian Natale.
But how did the name ‘Jul’, which is widely used in Scandinavian countries, arise? It has nothing to do with Christ. Quite the opposite: the term stems from the Old Norse jōl, which is the name for the pagan Midsummer festival.
And if you would like to wish people from other countries a Merry Christmas in their language, this selection may help you. “Merry Christmas” is
- ägyptisch Colo sana wintom tiebeen
- akan (Ghana) Afishapa
- amharic (Äthiopien) Melkam Yelidet Beaal
- bulgarisch Весела Коледа
- chinesisch 圣诞快乐
- dänisch Glædelig jul
- estnisch Häid jõule
- finnisch Hyvää joulua
- französisch Joyeux Noël
- griechisch Καλά Χριστούγεννα
- indonesisch Selamat Natal
- italienisch Buon Natale
- japanisch メリークリスマス
- koreanisch 메리 크리스마스
- lettisch Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus
- litauisch Linksmų Kalėdų
- niederländisch Vrolijk Kerstfeest
- norwegisch God jul
- polnisch Wesołych Świąt
- portugiesisch Feliz Natal
- rumänisch Crăciun Fericit
- russisch Счастливого Рождества
- schwedisch God jul
- Simbabwe Merry Kisimusi
- slowakisch Veselé Vianoce
- slowenisch Vesel božič
- sotho (Lesotho) Matswalo a Morena a Mabotse
- spanisch Feliz Navidad
- swahili (Tansania, Kenia) Kuwa na Krismasi njem
- swazi (Swaziland) Sinifisela Khisimusi Lomuhl
- tschechisch Veselé Vánoce
- türkisch Mutlu Noeller
- ukrainisch Щасливого Різдва
- ungarisch Boldog karácsonyt
- yoruba (Nigeria) E ku odun, e hu iye‘ dun
- zulu (Südafrika) Sinifisela Ukhisimusi Omuhle
With the same spirit
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!