Can Christmas be described in a single word?
Is it possible to describe Christmas in a simple word? I decided to take a look at a few ways of coming up with a single word to describe the merriest of seasons.
The idea of coming up with a word that is meaningful and all encompassing, yet universally understood is a challenge. The word should be abstract, not literal. Summarizing Christmas as a noun like tinsel, wouldn’t be understood everywhere.
Christmas is so dependent on a variety of experiences and cultural influences, individual values and traditions. However, I believe there is a word to encompass these aspects that once said makes Christmas universally relatable.
Take me to the most Christmassy word below.
Can one word guide our actions?
In recent years, the process of choosing a word of the year at the start of the New Year has gained in popularity. It has acted as a replacement for the traditional list of New Year resolutions. The concept is simple – by aligning yourself with one word that reflects who you want to be as a person and the characteristics of that person, this word acts to guide your mindset, actions and goals in ways that are more intentional and focused.
Studies have shown that choosing a random list of “to-dos”, “shoulds” and “must-dos” is setting oneself up for failure since these “resolutions” are 80% more likely to be abandoned within the first three weeks of the January. So common is this abandonment that the study performed by Strava, an activity logging app, noted January 19 as “Quitter’s Day” when people stopped acting on their resolutions (for fitness anyway).
If one’s actions, thoughts and intentions could be grounded in a solitary word, then could the whole of Christmas and all it’s meaning, actions, traditions and connotation be represented in the same way?
What is the brand of Christmas?
Any brand expert or marketing guide will tell you to choose clear words in order to convey what you do as a brand or service and what values are behind your reason for existing. They want you to focus on your ‘why’. By doing so the company can prioritize it’s brand strategy and dial into its target customers. More importantly, these followers become buyers and clients only when they can align themselves with the same values or words used by your company. Your why has answered their problems.
In conjunction with undergoing extensive market research, competitive analysis, and referencing pages and pages of a thesaurus one of the best ways to choose brand values is by listening to what feels right. And how your audience feels when engaging, using, and following your brand.
Does your word align with the meaning of Christmas?
In one of the chapters of the popular bestseller, ‘Eat Pray Love’, author Elizabeth Gilbert describes how she struggles to find a word that represents who she is. Her friend explains how cities can be summarized into one word and so can people. It’s when the two words compliment one another or align in a sense that a person feels truly at home in the place they are and will achieve greater contentment in life. It’s important to note that finding a single word for who you are can’t be based on physical appearance or profession, it should relate to your values and vision for yourself.
Christmas is no different than a city, if it represents you then you will feel fulfilled and content during the season.
What do we search for during the holidays?
A 2019 look at the most Googled words by state during the holidays revealed Netflix to be the top search query in 12 different states. This is followed by a half dozen searches related to food and drink. With one state searching “where to buy coal”.
Examining popular search terms conveys more than just looking for a Netflix, it reflects the intent of the user and what feelings they are in search of during this time. Search intent is a glimpse into the values many people have during the holidays. And it appears the idea of Netflix and chill is a popular holiday value.
However it could also mean those in search of Netflix for the holidays value relaxation, tradition in the sense of everyone gathering around to watch their favorite Christmas movies (nostalgia), they might value family time, an excuse to indulge in treats, or comfort.
For those states where food or drink was a popular search request, this is a reflection on fulfilling a basic human need. Holidays are fueled by family recipes, sitting around for a big feast, holiday parties. So large gatherings of people and breaking bread with others could signify goodwill, merriment, sharing, love, and giving back. The specific searches for are fast food places are open might indicate loneliness, indulgence, or valuing time, normalcy or panic.
It’s the intent behind the words we use the convey our desires, needs, and values.
Popular words and values associated with the holidays
Many people in the Northern hemisphere associate Christmas with winter and all that it brings. Words like cozy, snow, warm, fuzzy, soft, skating, sledding, chilly, snuggle, fireplace, and ice.
Others experience the holidays through senses where the physical representation of the season can be described as lights, twinkling, sparkles, fresh baked cookies, smooth, bright, creamy, cocoa, spicy, pine, stars, tinsel, and magic.
For those who engage with Christmas by experiencing it with others, Christmas is filled with love, laughter, romance, excitement, friends, parties, togetherness, socializing, and merriment.
Some may see the season as it relates to colors like gold, red, green, silver, blue, white
Perhaps Christmas is a visceral feeling like passion, elation, joy, loneliness, resentment, hope, renewal.
Christmas means reconnecting with family, caring, hugs, traditions, drama, games, fun, nostalgia, Grandma getting run over by a reindeer?
Of course you can’t rule out the importance of gifts, presents, joy, wrapping paper, bows, shopping, consumerism, buying, malls, maybe even Amazon?
Finally, many see Christmas as a time for faith, remembrance, church, redemption, Jesus, prayers, peace and goodwill, forgiveness, and giving back
By establishing your holiday values and aligning them with the values represented at Christmas will allow you to say yes to less in order to experience more. Your ‘word’ that you associate with Christmas becomes your why.
Feeling a deeper connection to the holidays instead of rushed, overworked, tired, and emotionally drained is often a result of trying to do too many things that you believe you should be doing because it checks off a list of Christmas to-dos, or you’ve allowed outside influences to guide your schedule and where to focus your attention. Making 100 individually piped sugar cookies is not a necessity. If these outside influences and “to-dos” are not reflective of your values then it’s little wonder a person comes away depleted and unfulfilled.
Christmas can be described with this word
Being interested in a word isn’t the same as being committed. When a word resonates with you, you’ll feel it throughout. You just know.
So after considering the various ways of landing on a single word to encompass Christmas, a season full of feelings, actions, traditions that are meant to bring us joy, laughter, and delight – the one word that embraces all of what Christmas means to me is Merry.
merry adjective
mer·ry | \ ˈmer-ē , ˈme-rē \
merrier; merriest
1: full of gaiety or high spirits : MIRTHFUL
eat, drink, and be merry
2: marked by festivity or gaiety
a merry holiday time
3: QUICK, BRISK
a merry pace
4 archaic : giving pleasure : DELIGHTFUL
Merry is happiness. Joy, Fun. Awe. Friends. Food and Movies and Playing in the snow. It’s mulled wine, the smell of sage and rosemary, making crafts, silver bows, and turkey stuffing. It’s seeing others happy, and making them happy, It’s Mary, Joseph and the Story of Christmas. It’s relaxing and contentment.
For me, Merry is being fully present in the moment.
English 