Nollaig faoi shéan agus faoi mhaise duit
Word for wordA Christmas under prosperity and under adornment to you
What it meansA prosperous and joyous Christmas to you.
Approximate pronunciation guide
NULL-ig fwee HAYN AH-gus fwee WASH-eh ditch
Written for English speakers and editorial rather than sourced. It will get you close enough to be understood, and it is not a substitute for a native speaker. Recorded audio is planned; see About.
When to use it For the Christmas card that wants ceremony. The blessing rather than the greeting.
About this saying
The fuller, older-fashioned Christmas blessing: wishing the season itself to arrive dressed in good fortune. Attested beside the short Nollaig shona in the dictionary’s merry entry, and the form to reach for when a card wants more ceremony than the standard greeting carries.
Provenance
Where this wording comes from. We publish nothing we cannot point at.
- DictionaryForas na Gaeilge, Foclóir Nua Béarla–Gaeilge (New English-Irish Dictionary)s.v. merry (merry Christmas), prints "Nollaig faoi shéan agus faoi mhaise duit!"