the.com/merriment
the contagious chaos of joy that refuses to read the room
means lively, cheerful fun and laughter, usually shared among people in high spirits
from From 'merry,' which traces back to Old English 'myrige,' meaning pleasant or agreeable. The '-ment' suffix arrived later, borrowed from French and Latin, as a tidy way to turn a feeling into a thing. So 'merriment' is essentially 'the state of being merry' — though that older 'myrige' carried a softer sense of agreeableness, possibly related to a Germanic root meaning 'short' (as in time made to feel brief by pleasure). The boisterous laughter we now hear in the word grew louder over the centuries.
- old root
- From Old English myrgan, meaning to be pleasant
- medieval law
- Lords of Misrule were appointed to orchestrate holiday chaos
- physical proof
- Genuine joy crinkles eyes, faked smiles never do
- laughter math
- Adults laugh 20 times daily, kids around 300
dickens christmas carol — scrooge's nephew fred's christmas dinner celebration, 1843 novella, epitome of festive joy
mardi gras new orleans — annual carnival with parades, costumes, and revelry since 1703 in louisiana
medieval feast hall — banquets with music, laughter, and entertainment in medieval european castles