Welcome to December, the month in which we use a lot of words we never utter the other eleven months of the year. Let’s look at a few:

How we feel

Merry. Pleasing and delightful, marked by festivity or gaiety. In use almost 1,000 years! From the Old English mirige, meaning pleasant. After this month, will go dormant until the Merry Month of May.

Jolly. Full of high spirits, joyous, given to conviviality, cheerful. Another oldie, although only since the 14th century. From the Middle English joli, which itself probably derived from Old Norse j - the midwinter festival - which gave us the word Yule. Nonetheless, a useful word that deserves more mileage.

When we sing

Carol. The word’s similarity to choral hints at Latin origin, it was first used in the 14th century. Its definitions are, in order: an old round dance with singing,  a song of joy or mirth,  and (lastly!) a popular song or ballad of religious joy.

Noel. This just means a Christmas carol from France. Noel derives from the Latin natalis, meaning birthday . This is a fairly young word, being around only 200 years.

And speaking of carols from other countries, the German word Tannenbaum refers to a particular type of fir tree (die Tanne). In German, there are several Christmas songs about the stately, evergreen Tannenbaum.

What we eat!

Eggnog. A traditional Christmas drink beaten eggs, milk or cream, and liquor.

Fruitcake. Cake, obviously, loaded with fruit, obviously. Some recipes call for the finished cake to be soaked in spirits. Maybe we’d eat more if more got this treatment.

Latkes. Potato pancakes. (I certainly don’t limit this word, or this dish, to December. Yum, yum!)

Make merry and be jolly! Sing carols and decorate a Tannenbaum! Indulge your tastebuds! Enjoy a festive December!