How to Write Happy Holidays in Japanese

Although Christmas in Japan is not celebrated widely as a religious holiday, many Japanese still take part in traditional activities like gift giving and celebrating the season's end. For those with friends and family in Japan, knowing how to write out "Happy Holidays" in Japanese will add a special touch for your holiday greetings. Please note "Happy Holidays" is not an official phrase in the Japanese language so you will have to make do with an approximate translation.

Things You'll Need

• Pen or pencil
• Paper or greeting card
• Computer (if sending an online greeting card, e-mail or message)

Instructions

1. Trace with your pen or pencil the following traditional Japanese characters
   幸福な'暇
   This phrase is the closest approximation to "Happy Holidays" as its translation in Japanese is "Happy Vacation."

2. Close your greeting with a unique Japanese holiday phrase to delight your reader. Try the phrase "Happy December." Written in traditional Japanese letters, the phrase will look like this:
   幸福な12月

3. Write a traditional Japanese Christmas greeting in your correspondence when appropriate with certain readers. Written out in traditional Japanese letters, the "Merry Christmas" greeting will look like this:
   メリークリスマス

Tips & Warnings

• Practice writing out the traditional Japanese characters on a separate piece of paper before composing your holiday greeting.

References

• Free Translation.com
• Babylon Translation
• Japanese Life Style