Top 15 English Idioms Americans Use to Celebrate Christmas

The Christmas season is a special time for every American. Holidays have a huge impact on the language and under their influence a whole variety of thematic idioms are formed. Puzzle-english I have highlighted the most common, original and useful idioms so that you can learn them in the past year and meet the new year with a rich vocabulary.

Christmas comes but once a year

Christmas comes only once a year - this phrase is often used to emphasize how significant this holiday is for everyone and to remind us of the importance of appreciating every moment in life. This idiom is also often used humorously, justifying excessive amounts of food eaten, incredible expenses, disrupted daily routines and other joys for which everyone values ​​long weekends so much.

Do not get your tinsel in a tangle

The recommendation “not to tangle your tinsel” is used to calm and reassure a person who worries too much. If you want to tell someone that there's no need to stress or worry about planning the perfect Christmas dinner, pay attention to this idiom.

break the bank

Not the most “holiday” expression, but it is at this moment that it becomes especially relevant. For gamblers, this idiom means winning a lot of money, and for most people it means spending a lot, a lot. Unfortunately, lavish spending is an integral part of holiday preparation, no matter how you look at it.

An Arm and a Lay

Another phrase that is perfect for describing the financial situation before the New Year. In a figurative sense, it means that the cost of something is so high that you will have to sell part of the body - and more than one - to cover all the costs. Prices for many goods and services skyrocket around the holidays, so be prepared to shell out some cash.

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That's it be dressed up like a Christmas tree

In Russian, they also sometimes say this - “to dress up like a Christmas tree,” meaning a too flashy and provocative appearance, often inappropriate for the situation.

Good things like in small packages

Somewhere between “size doesn’t matter” and “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Simply put, the size and appearance of a gift does not determine its value, because small boxes often contain the most valuable gifts - rings, watches, earrings and car keys.

Like Turkey's voting for (an early) Christmas

This idiom actually means a person’s consent to conditions that are unfavorable for him, or when a person deliberately contributes to the worsening of his own situation. It is as if the turkey (which in English-speaking countries usually serves as the main decoration of the holiday table) votes for the coming of Christmas.

Going cold turkey

Many people use the New Year and Christmas period as an opportunity to radically change their lives. This expression means abruptly giving up a bad habit - exactly what many plan to do in the coming year.

Go back to the drawing board

For some, leaving old habits is not enough, and they want drastic changes. In such cases, we say that the person decided to start life from scratch. And in English, instead of paper, there is a drawing board to which people return to re-draw their plan of action.

The p of the pudding is in the eating

To judge something (such as a traditional Christmas pudding), you have to try it. This applies not only to dishes, but to any situations where, in order to make a decision, you need to look at the result and evaluate it yourself.

The more the merrier

If someone says that fewer people mean more oxygen, you can argue with this English idiom. The literal translation fully reflects the meaning: “the more, the merrier.” This applies not only to people invited to the party, but also, for example, to gifts under the Christmas tree or dishes on the festive table.

Written in the stars

New Year and Christmas are the times when miracles come true. This expression implies that some events are predetermined or “written in the stars.” If you believe that you will find love next year or make a billion, then you believe that these events will happen to you, no matter the circumstances.

That's it be as happy as a clam

A great holiday wish for your loved ones is to be as happy as a clam. Do you think that this is far from the most cheerful creature? Well, in Russian we say “happy as an elephant” - that’s also debatable, isn’t it? In any case, the full version of this idiom sounds much clearer: "to be as happy as a clam at high time" - to be happy as a clam at high tide. During this period, mollusks are maximally protected from predators, but what else do they need to be happy?

Holiday hangover

Weekend hangover or post-holiday syndrome is a special condition experienced by those who return to work or school after holidays, vacations or days off. This is not necessarily due to alcohol consumption; we are talking about the fact that a person is not ready to re-enter the work routine after rest. It's a feeling we usually experience on Monday mornings, but it's more acute at the start of the work year.

That's it cancel someone's Christmas

Typically the phrase is used to mean “spoil the mood” or “stop the fun.” So remember and use it not only during the winter holidays. Although, of course, we hope that no one will ever cancel your personal Christmas.