 | | 
22.12.2011, 17:44
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Basel
Posts: 3,738
Groaned at 35 Times in 32 Posts
Thanked 7,023 Times in 2,273 Posts
| | | Holiday Greetings in German
I'd like to wish my (non-Christian) cleaner happy holidays. Can someone suggest how to say something along the lines of "Happy holidays and best wishes for the new year" in German?
|
22.12.2011, 17:46
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Lenzburg
Posts: 597
Groaned at 15 Times in 9 Posts
Thanked 283 Times in 155 Posts
| | | Re: Holiday Greetings in German
Ein frohes Weihnachtsfest und alles Gute zum neuen Jahr!
|
22.12.2011, 17:46
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Zurich
Posts: 1,624
Groaned at 10 Times in 9 Posts
Thanked 975 Times in 605 Posts
| | | Re: Holiday Greetings in German
| Quote: | |  | | | I'd like to wish my (non-Christian) cleaner happy holidays. Can someone suggest how to say something along the lines of "Happy holidays and best wishes for the new year" in German? | | | | | To keep it neutral, I guess "schöne Feiertage und einen Guten Rutsch (ins neue Jahr)" or "und ein gutes Neues Jahr"
That what you had in mind?
| | This user would like to thank herc82 for this useful post: | |
22.12.2011, 17:51
| | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Basel
Posts: 3,738
Groaned at 35 Times in 32 Posts
Thanked 7,023 Times in 2,273 Posts
| | | Re: Holiday Greetings in German
| Quote: | | | | | Ein frohes Weihnachtsfest und alles Gute zum neuen Jahr! | | | | | Isn't this wishing a merry Christmas? As she's not Christian, I'd rather than offer her (generic holiday) good wishes.
|
22.12.2011, 18:06
| | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Lenzburg
Posts: 597
Groaned at 15 Times in 9 Posts
Thanked 283 Times in 155 Posts
| | | Re: Holiday Greetings in German
| Quote: | | | | | Isn't this wishing a merry Christmas? As she's not Christian, I'd rather than offer her (generic holiday) good wishes. | | | | |
OOPS, sorry, didnt read your post properly  |
22.12.2011, 21:16
| | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: At home
Posts: 4,167
Groaned at 208 Times in 133 Posts
Thanked 6,403 Times in 2,719 Posts
| | | Re: Holiday Greetings in German
There is no such thing as a neutral "holiday" wish. Look at the word: HOLI-day. Festtage is a good one, but the said Fest is Christmas in the first place.
Am I the only one that feels like it's not offensive in a German cultural language setting to wish Frohe Festtage to everybody even if religion is not part of the message? Weihnachten is just a fact in the calendar, everybody get free, that's neutral enough to my German head.
| | This user would like to thank Faltrad for this useful post: | |
22.12.2011, 21:25
| | Member | | Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Zurich
Posts: 104
Groaned at 1 Time in 1 Post
Thanked 253 Times in 70 Posts
| | | Re: Holiday Greetings in German
| Quote: | | | | | To keep it neutral, I guess "schöne Feiertage und einen Guten Rutsch (ins neue Jahr)" or "und ein gutes Neues Jahr" | | | | | This is perfectly fine, but don't capitalize adjectives. (guten Rutsch / neues Jahr)
You can also say "Frohes Fest und einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr"
| | The following 2 users would like to thank manny calavera for this useful post: | |
23.12.2011, 07:39
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DK - previously Zug
Posts: 3,321
Groaned at 168 Times in 122 Posts
Thanked 6,707 Times in 2,237 Posts
| | | Re: Holiday Greetings in German
| Quote: | | | | | Am I the only one that feels like it's not offensive in a German cultural language setting to wish Frohe Festtage to everybody even if religion is not part of the message? Weihnachten is just a fact in the calendar, everybody get free, that's neutral enough to my German head. | | | | | No, you're not the only one. I agree. But I also think, despite not being a Christian, that it's not offensive in English either.
| | This user would like to thank Corbets for this useful post: | |
23.12.2011, 09:17
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: A moving target...
Posts: 878
Groaned at 18 Times in 15 Posts
Thanked 950 Times in 448 Posts
| | | Re: Holiday Greetings in German
Exactly. The only people I've found who are sensitive to this are media types from Islington and some Americans.
I've been in countries where Islam is the main religion e.g. Oman, Lebanon, UAE, Syria where many of the local people still appreciate Christmas. There was an article in one of the GCC newspapers where a muslim man was asked why he sent Christmas cards when he was not Christian and he cheerily replied because he enjoys all the friendliness and colour of this particular holiday and felt it was open to all. I think the view was that the message of goodwill to all men (and women!) was universally recognised.
Merry Christmas!
| | This user would like to thank Swissmountainair for this useful post: | |
27.12.2011, 04:17
|  | Junior Member | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: zu
Posts: 88
Groaned at 1 Time in 1 Post
Thanked 16 Times in 9 Posts
| | | Re: Holiday Greetings in German
You can say happy holidays : "Schoeni Fearherdaghi" (noh..") (also)
| |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
| | | All times are GMT +2. The time now is 14:57. | |
