The apostrophe tells us that the greetings are regarding the current season and all the holidays in it. The speakerwriter is wishing you greetings of the season. The phrase seasons greetings can be considered a descriptive genitive or an objective genitive. You are sending the greetings of the season just one season, so its s. If your goal is to make your last name possessive, then, by all means, use an apostrophe. How to make your last name plural this christmas season abc. And the waves of confusion over this expressions apostrophe have returned time and time again, peaking between 1907 and 1926, again in the 1940s, and then. If apostrophes are a challenge for you, check out our detailed. Misplaced apostrophes, commas, and misspelled words creep onto our. You better not pout because this quick guide will tell you how to avoid common holiday greeting grammar errors. Apostrophes dont belong in your last name on a christmas card.
By adding that apostrophe and s, we let someone know were not just greeting. The correct form is the first one, season s greetings. Seasons greetings is an animated short created by trick r treat writer and director michael dougherty in 1996 and was the precursor of the film. Warm wishes if all else fails and you cant remember what to capitalize or not to capitalize, stick with words you are certain about. Make sure you add the apostrophe s to show you are sending greetings for the season. Theyre rather generic, but you could personalize the message further if youd like. Seasons, the plural, makes no sense as an adjective modifying greetings. The possessive form is needed because seasons greetings stands for greetings of the season. The greetings belong to the season, and thus theyre the holiday seasons greetings. Apostrophes mark possession, but the degree can vary, which makes seasons greetings a bit counterintuitive the glad tidings dont belong to the. In other words, greetings belonging to this time of the year. Derived from the german word, christkindl, or baby jesus. Dec 16, 2009 the apostrophe bedevils many, but in this case you want to use it because the meaning of the phrase is greetings of the holiday season. Apostrophes mark possession, but the degree can vary, which makes seasons greetings a bit counterintuitive the glad tidings dont belong to the season in the same way that frostys top hat belongs to him.
When signing your familys holiday cards this season, disabuse yourself of the notion that adding an apostrophe to your last name looks right or makes sense. The correct form is the first one, seasons greetings. The exact origin of seasons greetings is unclear, going perhaps as far back as the 1500s according to some sources, but its been used commonly at least since the mid1800s. Its with an apostrophe, because its possessive, ie the greetings of the season, or, seasons greetings.
The expression seasons greetings is an expression of genitive case also known as possessive in. Seasons greetings definition is used in writing as a greeting in the time of year when christmas and several other holidays happen near each other. Steve, winter begins dec 21st, which is before xmas. Should we just return all those holiday card apostrophes like that awkward. Nov 16, 2017 if your goal is to make your last name possessive, then, by all means, use an apostrophe.
The history of tis the season tis the season evokes the quaint, archaic language we associate with holiday stories like a christmas carol. Also, treat this catchall greeting like happy holidays and capitalize both words. In the case of season s greetings, adding an apostrophe and the letter s to the word season indicates possession. The correct spelling is season s greetings, according to the oxford english dictionary.
Tis the season to send holiday greetings to one and all. Origin the exact origin of the phrase seasons greetings is unknown, but it is believed to have gained popularity around the same time that merry christmas began to replace. Sep 17, 20 with the seasons greetings or simply the seasons greetings was shortened to seasons greetings in the 1920s. If an s is added to a surname to refer to the whole family s belongings or as a greeting card signature, do not include an apostrophe. Also, note that its seasons with an apostrophe and an s, not the plural seasons. Dont miss these gorgeous ways to reuse old christmas cards. Adding an apostrophe to seasons greetings is correct, since it makes the phrase possessive. Only use an apostrophe when you want to make a name possessive. A simple and timely reminder for our final mind your language column of the year. This is incorrect, since there is no subsequent noun for the bakers to take. When belinda says seasons greetings, the greetings are hers.
Seasons greetings or seasons greetings and confusing. I often opt for the reeves family to avoid this notsopretty spelling. The season does have its appropriate greetings, such as merry christmas etc. With the seasons greetings or simply the seasons greetings was shortened to seasons greetings in the 1920s.
Nothing quells my christmas cheer as quickly as a stray apostrophe. The apostrophe is required not because a season is a person with possessions, but because the phrase should be understood as the greetings of the season. I realize that the screenwriters guild is named the screenwriters guild, and was commenting upon not how i would refer. A list of how to write 10 common holiday greetings. However, please remember seasons greetings without the apostrophe means greetings for many seasons. If youre shooting for a plural thats not possessive, in most cases just add s. Dont put the apostrophe in the wrong place on your holiday cards. Seasons greetings and other seasonal pitfalls bridging the. In the case of seasons greetings, adding an apostrophe and the letter s to the word season indicates possession. Where should the apostrophe go in seasons greetings. It is technically a possessive, seasons greetings greetings of the christmas season, but on posters, banners, and cards the apostrophe is often omitted. Seasons greetings jiggle blur arthur morrisbirds as art. The same applies to names ending in z so gonzalez becomes gonzalezes. We ink holiday wishes and seasons greetings inside, address our envelopes with a.
Is there an apostrophe before the s in greetings answers. Although ebenezer scrooge suggested that anyone who went around wishing others a merry christmas should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart geez, dudechill. Seasons greetings, and please dont forget the apostrophe. How to make your last name plural this christmas season originally appeared on. And the waves of confusion over this expressions apostrophe have returned. Katja cho proper nouns like christmas should always be capitalized, but the word merry should only be capitalized if youre. Seasons greetings or seasons greetings and confusing holiday. Season s greetings is a shortened form for greetings of the season and makes excellent sense. How to write 10 common holiday greetings the home t.
If your goal is simply pluralization, however, forgo the apostrophe. To make a last name that ends in s plural, add es so reeves becomes reeveses. Seasons greetings multiple holidays are celebrated in one combined season, so use an apostrophe and s to show that you are sending greetings of the season. Not only are we getting together with loved ones, but we also take additional time.
Seasons greetings is a shortened form for greetings of the season and makes excellent sense. Seasons greetings and other seasonal pitfalls bridging. Nowadays political correctness would have us believe that christmas is prac. On christmas cards, when we write, love, the nelsons, or from the smiths, we are simply. Youve chosen a beautiful design for your custom greeting cards. Go with happy new year, not happy new years or happy new years but new years day and new years eve are correct. How to capitalize holiday greetings the our languages blog. Because apostrophes are a punctuation mark designed to show possessionas in, when something belongs to something else, like a dogs bone or a monkeys banana. By adding that apostrophe and s, we let someone know were not just greeting them about periods of. The letter s in the word greetings is part of this word. The apostrophe bedevils many, but in this case you want to use it because the meaning of the phrase is greetings of the holiday season. You are only referring to one season, the winter xmas holiday season. Is it seasons greetings or seasons greetings answers. To form the possessive singular of indefinite pronouns, use the apostrophe plus s.
The wellknown and cherished seasons greetings are often confused with the apostropheless seasons greetings. Or you may avoid the issue and wish people happy holidays. Tis the season for explaining common holiday phrases. Seasons greetings messages for coworkers these seasons greetings are short, oneline greetings that you could use to wish a coworker or acquaintance happy holidays. Origin the exact origin of the phrase seasons greetings is unknown, but it is believed to have.
In this case, its probably more a matter of stylistic choice than following any specific reference source. Without the apostrophe, seasons is just a plural, and this is a nonsense because we dont have more than one season at a time. Favorite answer the only one that is correct is season s greetings. She is sending greetings for the season or greeting people in the spirit of the season. I had to redo the image by adding the apostrophe after the fact. Without the apostrophe, or with it after the s, it indicates multiple seasons. Multiple holidays are celebrated in one combined season, so use an apostrophe. Happy new year follows the same rule, so you would not capitalize happy unless it begins the sentence. Dec 12, 2004 you would put an apostrophe in seasons greetings. This is because, as you surely must know, the apostrophe s indicates possession.
The film featured sam as a little boy dressed in orange footy pajamas with his burlap sack head covering, as he is being stalked by a stranger on halloween night. Theres one time of year where handwritten messages abound, and thats the christmas season. Happy holidays from the brights is correct because a possessive statement is not needed, but a plural one. But, rest assured, an apostrophe is required, because its is a contraction for it is. Image courtesy of shutterstock the greetings belong to a single season, so this is the appropriate spelling. Dec 23, 2017 the apostrophe tells us that the greetings are regarding the current season and all the holidays in it.
It is technically a possessive, season s greetings greetings of the christmas season, but on posters, banners, and cards the apostrophe is often omitted. As merry, happy and holidays are not proper names, there is no need to capitalise these words, except of course they start a sentence. Seasons greetings or seasons greetings or seasons greetings. Dec 22, 2015 other common holiday greeting terms, happy holidays, merry christmas, seasons greetings, are not capitalized.
Now how do you write the perfect message inside that keeps you off of the naughty list. A similar greeting, compliments of the season, follows the same rule. So why did i use an apostrophe for seasons greetings. Capitalised because that s normal on greetings cards. It is not irregular when it is part of a last name. By adding that apostrophe and s, we let someone know were not just greeting them about periods of time throughout the year, were sending them happy thoughts during this particular time. What if my last name is or contains an irregular noun. Christmas cards and apostrophes in your last name dont. If the name does not end in s, add apostrophe and s. The expression season s greetings is an expression of genitive case also known as possessive in which one noun is the possessor of another noun. At this time, it was most likely used more often than its. Grammar cop will not cite you for misuse of an apostrophe for writing the possessive form of season in your greetings. By adding that apostrophe and s, we let someone know were not just greeting them about periods of time throughout the year, were sending them happy thoughts during this particular time of year, the one glut with celebrations. And although you may like the person so well that you want to wish them good tidings for numerous seasons to come, lets get a little more personal and take it one step at a time.
It is believed that this could have came from when the switch from happy christmas to merry christmas came about. Stan brown, oak road systems, tompkins county, new york, usa i do not believe in a personal god and i have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. Apostrophes mark possession, but the degree can vary, which makes season s greetings a bit counterintuitive the glad tidings dont belong to the season in the same way that frostys top hat belongs to him. Tis the season tis the season might be one of the most popular holiday phrases for which nobody knows its actual meaning. Warm wishes if trying to remember when to capitalize is too taxing, keep it simple. If there were an added apostrophe as in, the bakers or the bakers, it would make the term possessive.
Dont worry after youve written something ten or twenty times, your mind starts doubting how to spell your own name, let alone remember the rules of the possessive apostrophe. Your recipients might take it as a sign that business has not been good or that they arent worth a little investment. Which is grammatically correct, seasons greetings or. That being said, i am not going to stop saying merry christmas.
Similar pitfalls constitute the capitalisation of merry christmas and happy holidays. The apostrophe is because it means greetings of the season. Dec 15, 2017 wishing you all the best this christmas looking forward to more years of strong business relationship and to meeting you during 2018. Should you send seasons greetings or seasons greetings. The correct version is seasons greetings because they are the greetings offor the seasonthe apostrophe shows possession. In the case of seasons greetings, adding an apostrophe and the letter s to the. The greetings belong to the season, so you need the possessive with the apostrophe and not the plural seasons. Seasons greetings definition of seasons greetings by. In the phrase seasons greetings, the greetings belong to the season.
Rather, the apostrophe in season s greetings is more accurately equated to the word of. Note it is seasons greetings not seasons greetings. What if the end of my last name normally functions as an irregular noun. By susan december 11, 2017 punctuation apostrophes apostrophe, punctuation, seasons greetings. Tis the season for good grammar, along with all those glad tidings. Grammar cop will not cite you for misuse of an apostrophe for writing the possessive form. The exact origin of seasons greetings is unclear, going perhaps as far back. Ontario training network word choice seasons greetings. It is technically a possessive, seasons greetings greetings of the christmas season, but on posters, banners, and. The apostrophe makes the term look possessive, but it isnt truly possessive, just quasipossessive. How to make your last name plural this christmas season.
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