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Christmas in (almost) every language

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 
  • 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!