Multiple Language “Happy Holiday” Greetings

December 16, 2025

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Although the concept of December as a unified holiday season is a relatively modern development, it did have links back to ancient times. That said, this broader commercial concept of today’s Holiday Season was solidified during the 19^th and 20^th centuries after Christmas was named a federal holiday. In 1870 under President Ulysses S. Grant, it was a paid day off for employees in the District of Columbia. Initially only for D.C. workers, it quickly led to nationwide adoption, which solidified Christmas’s date and place in American culture.

Saying Happy Holidays is an inclusive way to greet others when you aren't sure which traditions members of a multilingual community observe. In fact, this seasonal phrase acts as an umbrella for the diverse cultural and religious events that take place during winter months (November, December and January), including Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, as well as celebrating the coming of a new year. For diverse multilingual audiences, using a neutral phrase like Seasons Greetings or Happy Holidays is a respectful choice.

If you do know a specific group’s traditions, tailoring your message to them demonstrates a deeper level of cultural awareness and connection. For example, while many traditions have ancient roots like the Roman’s annual celebration of winter solstice observed in their Saturnalia festival, it is important to remember that the word holiday stems from Holy Day, yet nearly a fourth of the U.S. population openly identify as non-religious. Moreover, companies too often fall into the trap of emphasizing other people’s holidays to simply match their Christmas calendar.

From a perspective of inclusivity, shifting from Merry Christmas to Happy Holiday is considered to be a positive step, but it is not without challenges. For example, while Hanukkah is often highlighted in corporate decorations because of its timing, the most significant Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, occurs in September. True inclusivity means recognizing that for many cultures, the year’s most significant celebrations may not happen or occur toward the end of the year. Whereas faith is a core cultural identity, it is a fact that may not be as visible to others, so it is important to respect unexpected customs.

Professional Ways to Say “Happy Holiday”

Generally speaking, people in a professional environment often say Happy Holiday to show cultural respect for recognizing a variety of winter festivities well beyond just Christmas. In some languages, rather than imposing an English language phrase, their native tongue may have direct translations that mean Joyful Celebrations or Happy Festivities that are used to capture the broader holiday spirit while making others feel welcome and included. Although Merry Christmas was the dominant saying, now there are more inclusive alternatives.

Examples of “Happy Holidays” in other languages:

• Spanish: ¡Felices fiestas!
• French: Joyeuses fêtes !
• Mandarin Chinese: Jiérì kuàilè
• Portuguese: Boas Festas!
• German: Frohe Feiertage!
• Italian: Buone Feste!
• Japanese: Yoi ky?jitsu o osugoshi kudasai
• Korean: Haengbokhan hyuiri doesipsio!
• Arabic: Utla Sa'ida
• Vietnamese: H?nh phúc ngày l?

Whether you are addressing a small or large multilingual group, it is important to find the best way to bridge the cultural gap for celebrating this time of year. In fact, today most popular languages use variations that encompass multiple cultural events, including Christmas, Hanukkah or a group’s celebration of the coming year. Phrases like Felices fiestas naturally include both the religious and secular year-end celebrations, such a New Year’s Eve. If you are unsure of the specific holiday someone celebrates, using a broader term is considered more polite.

*Usage Tip – In the United Kingdom, which is home to the de facto English language and the core nation of the Anglosphere, wishing others a Happy Christmas is preferred over Happy Holidays, which is more tinted with Americanism.

Other Widely Celebrated Winter Holidays

In addition to wishing someone a Happy Holiday, there are non-denominational ways to offer more inclusive greetings that provide an added layer of respect for more other people’s diverse traditions and beliefs. Most likely, it is better to use an accepted alternative that acknowledges this wintry celebratory period without specific ties to a religion. A playful, modern day approach is to emphasize seasonal greetings like Best Wishes for a New Year, or an emotional universal statement, such as Wishing You Peace and Joy.

If you’ve done your homework, using a tailored seasonal greeting does show direct respect and awareness of someone else’s specific traditions, such as:

• Christmas: Christmas, observed annually on December 25, is a unique blend of deep religious significance and festive cultural traditions. For Christians, the day honors the birth of Jesus, symbolizing a miraculous act of divine love and hope. Over the last century, however, the holiday has evolved into a global season of celebration for people of all backgrounds with nativity to secular traditions like Santa Claus, elaborate gift exchanges and the twinkling of lights that adorn the landscape.
• Hanukkah: Known as the "Festival of Lights," Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. This holiday brings families together to light the menorah, share meals, and reflect on themes of resilience and renewal. Although not found in the Hebrew Scriptures, it has evolved into a significant cultural touchstone, as a way to maintain distinct Jewish identity during the commercialized Christmas season.
• Kwanzaa: Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration of African-American culture and heritage. Created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana studies, the holiday is designed to reaffirm African family and social values. The name comes from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning "first fruits" that draws inspiration from Southern Africa’s harvest festivals. During the week, each day is dedicated to one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, culminating in a community feast called the karamu.
• Lunar New Year: Lunar New Year is one of the world's most widely celebrated festivals, marking the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. While often associated with the Chinese Spring Festival, it is a broader holiday observed by various Asian cultures, including Vietnamese and Korean communities, each with their own unique traditions. It is a time of renewal, reflection, and reunion, characterized by family gatherings, vibrant fireworks, and the gifting of red envelopes for good fortune.
• Winter Solstice: For thousands of years, the winter solstice has served as a vital turning point for humanity, signaling the "rebirth of the sun" on the year's shortest day. Ancient civilizations didn't just track this celestial event for agriculture but used it as a reason to celebrate hope during the harsh winter months. The first recorded festivities date back to the Neolithic era (10,000 B.C.), but ancient cultures like Mesopotamians (Zagmuk), Romans (Saturnalia) and Germanic people (Yule) all had midwinter celebrations.
• Hogmanay: If you think New Year’s Eve is just about counting down to midnight, you haven’t experienced Hogmanay. This massive festival in Scotland and parts of England is widely considered one of the region's most important holidays, with folklore and festivities stretching for days. Plus, Hogmanay gave the world the tradition of singing Auld Lang Syne and it boasts a local custom of "first footing" where good luck will be had if a tall man with dark hair bearing gifts is first to cross your path after midnight.
• Boxing Day: Boxing Day is observed on December 26^th in the UK and Commonwealth countries like Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Originally, this was a day for employers to present boxes of gifts to servants and trades people as a reward for working through the holidays, as well as for churches to open alms boxes for the poor. While the initial practice of tipping service workers remains, today the Boxing Day is known for its modern traditions of retail sales and major sporting events.
• Lohri: As a new year arrives, India gears up to celebrate the end of winter and the return of longer days. One of the most vibrant of these celebrations is Lohri, a harvest festival observed primarily in Northern India, including Punjab, New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana. Held annually on January 13th, the festivities center around a ceremonial bonfire lit at dusk. Families and friends gather to sing, perform lively folk dances, and offer gratitude to the gods by tossing traditional foods into the flames.
• Makar Sankranti: Celebrated every January, Makar Sankranti is a vibrant Hindu festival marking the sun's entry into Capricorn (Makara) and the start of its northward journey. Unlike many lunar-based holidays, this solar event falls on the same Gregorian date annually, which is usually January 14^th or 15^th. Across India, devotees honor the Sun god, Surya, through diverse traditions ranging from ritual bathing in holy waters to creating colorful rangolis and enjoying traditional sweets.

For those on the receiving end of an inclusive greeting like Happy Holiday, the best way to show your appreciation is to respond with warmth and reciprocity. After all, almost everyone’s greetings are designed to echo inclusivity with an open-ended response that reinforces their well wishes too. Simply stated, expressing gratitude for the seasonal gesture can turn the initial greeting into a more meaningful cultural exchange. Moreover, in today’s highly multilingual workplace, keeping it natural, comfortable and conversational can help to build better professional relationships.

Holidays Offer a Crucial Break from Routine

Holidays serve a crucial role in our overall well-being. They provide a necessary break from our daily routines, helping to reduce stress and improve both mental and physical health. Taking time off has even been linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Beyond health benefits, stepping away from work can actually boost productivity and creativity when you return. In any language, these breaks also offer a unique opportunity to strengthen relationships.

Whether it’s sharing a meal, traveling to a new place to explore a different culture, or simply spending quiet time with loved ones, shared experiences foster deeper connections. Traditions, such as lighting a Menorah, attending a community parade or gathering for a feast, are helpful reminders that we all are part of something that is much larger than ourselves, and festive seasons highlight the role of preserving cultural identity across generations.

If you are thinking about skipping the holidays altogether this year (and you wouldn't be the first or the last), it is important to make such a decision carefully rather than impulsively. Maybe you’re thinking about enjoying the warmth of a tropical beach or just want to hide at home and watch a movie. Just remember that sometimes the idea of avoiding the holidays sounds better than “the reality” and you might find yourself feeling worse than expected. Even though seasonal socializing can feel impossible in today’s global village, give yourself time to assess your true wants and needs for the Holidays.

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At the end of the day, a little cultural awareness in regards to wishing others a Happy Holiday can go a long way in making the world around you a more harmonious and interesting place to work, live and play. With the ability today to reach multilingual markets, many companies still need to learn the secrets of how to correctly expand their global footprint by improving their understanding of wintry festivities. Whether you are renting or buying multilingual equipment and services, with our established network of providers, the experienced team at ProLingo can help you make informed decisions and can deliver the highest quality of multilingual messaging for events anywhere. Contact us today at 800-287-9755 to speak with an event specialist.