But don’t worry, today we’ll share five uncommon and elegant ways to wish your colleagues, family members and friends Merry Xmas and Happy New Year.

Start with a gratitude

Even a simple “Thank you for everything” can make your greeting sound warmer. To make it even more personal, you can list three specific reasons why you’re grateful to this person. 

Depending on the type of relationship, this might be an acknowledgment of his or her professional skills, highlighting the importance of what they do, or cherishing their individual traits and the positive influence they exert on you.

Examples:

• I’d like to thank you for being a constant source of inspiration for other people and me.
• Thank you so much for what you do, your work is indispensable and truly valuable.   
• Just wanted to thank you for being so patient and kind to me, even when I don’t deserve it. I appreciate it a lot.

Use an inspiring quote

If you have a habit of putting down cool quotes, it’s high time you include one (or more) of them in your greeting. If you don’t, finding one on the internet is a matter of minutes. What can be more to the point than sharing wise and inspiring words of the greats? 

Examples:

• As Albert Einstein wrote, “A hundred times every day, I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.”
• Margaret Thatcher once said, “Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the high road to pride, self-esteem, and personal satisfaction.”
• The Dalai Lama often says: “Happiness is not something readymade; it comes from your own actions.”

Mention something personal

Personified greetings always work the best. The recipient instantly feels they are valued and are not taken for granted. For example, if you know that the person you’re greeting is keen on traveling or plays in a band, you can wish them plenty of exciting trips or splendid gigs in the coming year.

However, it might not be easy to wish something personal to a colleague you barely know. In this case, you might just wish something less original and, if you feel like it, express hope to get to know each other better/work together on some project, etc.

Examples:

• May your YouTube channel strike 500,000 subscribers! 
• Wish you good luck with your forthcoming application, hope it works out well!
• May your coffee shop prosper and attract twice as many clients in the coming year!

Show off with a couple of exquisite words

Sometimes you just want to make your greeting stand out, and there’s nothing bad about it. A few vibrant words or phrases can spice up your season’s greetings and make it memorable. But try not to take it too far—otherwise, it might sound ridiculous. One or two would be sufficient.      

Examples:

• Wish you unforgettable and ethereal holidays!
• May your days be filled with eudaimonia and serendipity.
• May you enjoy many magical moments and elysian places in the coming year!

Wish something non-obvious

Apart from wishing common things like health, happiness and well-being, why not deviate from the script a little? If your recipient has a good sense of humor, they would certainly appreciate it. Still, it’s probably not the best idea to wish only weird things, but such an addition to a more conventional greeting might work well. 

Examples:

• May everyone around you be as sweet as a strawberry pie.
• May your next year be happy, prosperous and bring you to where you’ve never been before (in a good sense!).
• May you survive in the first place (all of us!).

***

Now, you’re fully armed to make your Xmas and New Year greetings at least a bit more original and memorable! 

The post 5 Original Ways to Greet Xmas and Happy New Year appeared first on Linguix Blog.

“Hello”

English speakers greet each other ubiquitously with the expression “how are you?” In certain, informal situations this may be replaced with the less conservative “how are you doing?” In both cases, 99 times out of 100, this means a simple “hello”. And it is therefore important for non-native speakers to consider that these greetings almost never require a lengthy answer (in fact, the initial enquirer would usually make a quick retreat if you did!) Here is all you need to know about these seemingly similar greetings.

Grammatically speaking

To grammar pedants, the use of present perfect simple and present continuous/progressive must be noted as relevant. “How are you?” should therefore be seen as a enquiry into general health and status, while “how are you doing?” would be a request for an update on a task that is currently being undertaken. Not the same at all. In the case of “how are you doing?” the context will always reveal if the meaning is a general “hello” or a request for information.

Formality

As touched upon, both greetings are generally acceptable in most situations, but the more formal “how are you?” should certainly be recommended in a situation where you do not know the person well, be that in person or in written communication.

Response

The most typical response to either “how are you?” or “how are you doing?” is a form of “fine thanks, and you?” Obviously in the case of “how are you doing?” in the context of “please can you give me an update?”, then of course a more detailed response would be required. As always, context is key.

Alternative responses in spoken English

“I’ve been better. How about you?” – In the case of it not being your best day ever!

“Like a kid on Christmas morning!” – If you are looking for something a little more enthusiastic and playful. Any variation on this them will work, just keep it clean!

Alternative phrases to use in written communication

“It was great seeing you/speaking to you the other day” – Make a friendly reference to the previous meeting to start things off in a nice, friendly manner.

“I really liked you (Twitter about topic)” – Nothing like a bit of ego massaging to kick things off, but make sure the rest of your message is relevant to the topic.

“I’ve got a great idea I’d love to run by you” – Nothing like starting a message with something to make the reader want to keep on reading.

“Hello name” – Sometimes it’s better to get straight to the point, especially when you receive countless emails every day. This approach can be really appreciated, but be careful not to sound too direct, so add polite words throughout and at the end of the message.

“Hope your day is going great” – Nothing like a bit of enthusiasm to start proceedings.

The post “How are you?” “How are you doing?” Two Common Greetings With Subtle Differences appeared first on Linguix Blog.