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Merry Christmas! Have you ever wondered why we say Merry Christmas? Why don’t people wish you a Festive Christmas? And a Merry New Year? In fact, why is Christmas merry when no other occasion seems to be? After all, you probably don’t wish people a Merry Birthday very often. What’s the deal?
Well, the greeting dates back to at least 1534 in London, when it was written in a letter sent to Henry VIII. It was also used in the 16th century English carol, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” And Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in 1843 made it even more traditional to say Merry Christmas.
No one knows for sure why Merry Christmas became the more popular greeting, but the facts are, not everyone is merry at Christmas. For instance, if you have no family to be with at Christmas, you may not feel so merry. If you can’t make it to your family’s celebration, it may not be merry. If your family is separated by more than miles—by divorce or death—or if your celebration of Christmas is not loving and warm, your Christmas may not be so merry. If you have financial difficulties, Christmas may not seem merry this year.
So, at a time when everyone is proclaiming that this is a “merry” time of year—a time for all to be happy and jovial—you may be acutely and painfully reminded that your circumstances are not conducive for a Merry Christmas.
How can you be merry this Christmas, regardless of the circumstances? How can you have a merry Christmas in spite of your problems and trials, your hardships and tough times?
If you have a merry heart, you will have a merry Christmas. Nobody can take away your joy if your heart is merry. Circumstances won’t affect it; people can’t rob you of joy if your heart is merry. But how can you have a merry heart? The good news is, it is not dependent on your feelings. The Bible tells us how to have a merry heart even in difficult times. I’ll give you some ideas on how to do that tomorrow, so I’ll hope you’ll join me then. I pray that you will have a Merry Christmas because your heart is filled with God’s goodness.
