“Merry Christmas” in ASL
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Happy (Merry)
Hand Shape: flat hands facing your body
Location: at chest
Tip: with a happy expression, as if happiness is coming out
Action: brush hand up and out two times, quickly
Christmas
Hand Shape: “C” right hand
Location: in front of the face
Tip: Like you are outlining a wreath
Action: “C” arches from left to right
Video transcript: Hi and welcome to Sign Baby Sign. Merry Christmas. This sign (happy) is done with the closed (fingers) open hand and take up on your chest two times like this (shows sign). The next word will be Christmas, this is the letter “C”, and like a wreath you are going to outline the top of a wreath. So Merry Christmas (shows both signs) would be the sign.
This sign is easy for little ones hands due to it’s hand shapes used. Since we say “Merry Christmas” countless times during the holiday, you’ll have no problems teaching this one. Remember to be consistent to sign each time you voice “Merry Christmas”. Before you know it, your child will be the star of attention as she starts greeting others in sign for the holidays. Click here to get your downloadable Christmas Flash Card set.
Have you ever thought about Santa traveling all over the world to deliver presents to boys and girls? What do they call him? Could it all be the same? Children all across the world get a visit from good old Saint Nick on that one special night but to them Santa holds a different name. Take a look below at a few of the popular names for Santa Claus.
18 of Christmas Santa’s Names Around the World:
| Country | Name |
| Belgium | Pere Noel |
| Brazil | Papai Noel |
| Chile | Viejo Pascuero (“Old Man Christmas”) |
| China | Dun Che Lao Ren (“Christmas Old Man”) |
| Netherlands | Kerstman |
| Finland | Joulupukki |
| France | Pere Noel |
| Germany | Weihnachtsmann (“Christmas Man”) |
| Hawaii | Kanakaloka |
| Hungary | Mikulas (St. Nicholas) |
| Italy | Babbo Natale |
| Japan | Hoteiosho (a god or priest who bears gifts) |
| Norway | Julenissen (“Christmas gnome”) |
| Poland | Swiety Mikolaj (St. Nicholas) |
| Russia | Ded Moroz (“Grandfather Frost”) |
| Sweden | Jultomten (“Christmas brownie”) |
| United Kingdom | Father Christmas |
| United States | Santa |
From Santa to Saint Nicholas and everything in between; whatever you may call him, whatever he may mean to your family, may the story of Saint Nick leave you well.
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I learned “merry christmas” as one gesture only, that of “christmas.” I guess the merry part was implied by my expression of a smile. A smile or other cues can reinforce or be a part of ASL. Thank you. – Frederic Kahler, get ready to sign it, from Apalachicola, FL [love]