christmas

The holly and the ivy: wonderful words for Christmas plants

Which plants I wonder, gentle reader, do you associate with Christmas? I strongly suspect several of this week’s Collins Word of the Day will spring to mind. IYAM, certain plants just shout ‘Christmas’, don’t they? Well, perhaps some are a bit shoutier than others. The traditional holly, ivy, mistletoe and… Read More

St Nicholas and Santa Claus

We might not recognise it, but our modern Christmas celebration owes much to St Nicholas. Not to mention that his feast day on 6 December (or 19 December in the Julian calendar) is celebrated in many parts of Europe, especially with gifts for children. “Saint who?”… Read More

Advent and Advent Calendars

“The Lord Will Come and not be Slow”(John Milton) Ah, Advent! The season when children’s faces and some adults’ faces, too – mine, anyway – light up while, day by day, they open whatever kind of Advent calendar has come their way. I vividly remember, aged… Read More

Christmas or Yule: the lexicon of the holiday season

’Tis the season to be jolly,Fa-la-la-la-lah, la-la-la-lah. Ah, carols! Doesn’t everyone love them? They really lift our spirits: belting them out in company certainly gets me in the Christmas mood. I expect many of us will have a favourite. What’s yours? Hearing carols piped in shops or singing them… Read More

Food for thought this Christmas

I don’t know about you, but I’m already salivating at the prospect of Christmas food. The first pangs start early in December with the nostalgia rush I get upon spotting dinky net bags of mixed nuts for sale. Perhaps folk are deterred by the faff of cracking them open to… Read More

Mistletoe & wassail! 6 word treats to savour this festive season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! From wassailing to jolly Kris Kringle, the holiday season comes with its own festive selection of words and phrases. Dig into the true etymological meaning of Christmas, plus five more festive word treats to mull over. Christmas As you may… Read More

Scrabble™ Christmas Anagrams

There’s something about Christmas and tradition that makes me think there’s nothing better than getting everyone round a great family board game after stuffing themselves with turkey and mince pies (I’m more of a jam roly-poly fan!) X boxes, Fifa etc are more set up for the individual and they… Read More

Winning words to help you play like a Scrabble champ this Christmas

It’s Christmas, you are mid Scrabble game, the tension is high, you’ve eaten a whole box of mince pies, Only Fools and Horses is on again, and your rack is offering up no distinguishable word options. Fear not, Craig Beevers, the World Scrabble Champion reveals his top words to save… Read More

Christmas etymology corner – ‘Eggnog’, ‘Hot Toddy’ and the trusty ‘Regmaker’

It is the party season, and you might be intrigued to know what is behind the names of some of the drinks you could be offered this Christmas. One drink that is especially associated with the festive season is eggnog, whose name comes from nog, an old dialect word for… Read More