Season’s Greetings or Seasons Greetings and 3 More Confusing Holiday Terms

For many, the holiday season is a time of communication. Not only are we getting together with loved ones, but we also take additional time to greet others and get in touch with old friends.

Sometimes, however, it can be tough getting all the words right. Where should the apostrophe go in “Season’s Greetings”? Should you “ring in” or “bring in” the New Year? What in the world does “Bah, Humbug” mean?

If you’re a little confused, we’ve got you covered in this post.

1Season’s Greetings or Seasons Greetings?

Looking for a general and inclusive way to greet others for the myriad of holidays in December? Whether it’s for Hanukkah, the winter solstice, Christmas, or Kwanzaa, it’s usually safe to go with “Happy Holidays” when greeting people in person. “Season’s Greetings” is a warm tiding that works particularly well for written cards or in alternative holiday greetings.

But, how exactly should it be formatted?

Here’s a tip: The correct formatting is “Season’s Greetings”—with the apostrophe.

When writing the phrase, it is standard English to place the apostrophe after the N and before the S in ”seasons.”

The apostrophe tells us that the greetings are regarding the current season (and all the holidays in it.) Apostrophes mark possession, but the degree can vary, which makes “season’s greetings” a bit counter-intuitive The glad tidings don’t belong to the season in the same way that Frosty’s top hat belongs to him. Rather, the apostrophe in “season’s greetings” is more accurately equated to the word “of.”

2Ring in the New Year

Is it “ring in the New Year” or “bring in the New Year”? Well, both.

The phrase “ring in the New Year” most likely derives from the tradition of bell-ringing to mark important events throughout life, like weddings or graduations. Bells are a common symbol of celebration and happiness during the holidays. Before you run out for some silver bells, consider context. Over time the verb “ring” has come to imply more joyful welcoming than literal bell-ringing. Here are some examples of correct usage:

We plan to ring in the New Year with close friends. How will you ring in the New Year?

“Bring in the New Year” is also grammatically correct but likely a derivation of the idiomatic “ring in the New Year.” Nevertheless, it makes complete sense to “bring in” or welcome the coming year.

3Bah, Humbug!

Though many of us know this as the catchphrase of Charles Dickens’ curmudgeonly character Ebenezer Scrooge, “Bah! Humbug!” has much older origins.

“Humbug” traces back to student slang from the mid-1700s and referred to a person who behaved in a deceptive, tricky, or jest-like way. The term was in continual use into the 20th century to reference frauds, fakes, and phonies.

Perhaps the most popular usage of the word, however, is in Dickens’ novella and stage adaptations of A Christmas Carol. When the surly Mr. Scrooge exclaims “Bah! Humbug!” he is claiming that Christmas is fake.

This sort of grumbly attitude toward the holidays has been adopted tongue-in-cheek by pop culture and playful neighbors alike, usually to highlight excessiveness during the season or even to call out a party pooper.

4Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

As we join friends and family to celebrate holidays and welcome the New Year, we are often encouraged to “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry.” This seasonably appropriate instruction is directly from the Bible, but the original lesson doesn’t mean what you think it does.

“And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”

— Luke 12:19, The King James Bible

Out of context, this may seem like Jesus encouraging relaxation, food, drink, and merriment. While there are Biblical recommendations for celebration, this quote is taken from the Parable of the Rich Fool—a story Jesus shares as a warning against storing wealth and greed. Luke 12:19 is an excerpt from the rich farmer’s reasoning, not an instruction from Jesus.

Over time, however, the phrase “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry” has been used increasingly in popular culture to encourage gratitude for and celebration of abundance. This common usage is entirely appropriate during the holidays, as we reflect on the last year and anticipate the future.

10 Things You Should Avoid Saying in a Job Interview

Could the things you’re saying during job interviews be costing you offers? Knowing the right things to say requires practice and a little finesse. But accidentally saying the wrong thing is all too easy to do. Interviews are stressful, and it can be challenging to keep a cool head when your palms are sweating and your heart is beating double-time.

Taking the time to prepare can mean the difference between walking away from an interview with a sinking feeling and landing the sweet gig you’ve been hoping for. Study this list of the top ten things you should avoid saying during an interview and you’ll be less likely to make critical mistakes.

1So, what does this job pay?

Sure, salary is a concern, but this is a question to save for later. Generally, you’ll address salary after you’ve received an offer of employment. If you have concerns that the wage might not be competitive, save them until you’ve been offered a second interview. Talking salary too early in the process will make it seem as though you’re more concerned about money than you are about the work itself.

2I’ll do whatever.

Sure, you need a job, but interviews are not the time to let your desperation show. Employers want to know that you’re passionate about the work they’re considering hiring you to do. If you want to express that you’re open to different kinds of work, you might say, “I love working in [career specialty], but I’m also versatile and I enjoy learning new things. I’m open to exploring different roles.”

3My last boss was a total _______.

So, your last boss really was a horrible micromanager who blamed you for everything that went wrong. Your potential new boss doesn’t need to hear it. Bad-mouthing your previous boss, manager, or even other coworkers will only raise red flags. A hiring manager isn’t likely to see your boss as the tyrant you’re making him out to be. It’s more likely she’ll see you as someone who might be difficult to work with.

4Perfectionism is my biggest weakness.

Here’s the thing—you think you’re being clever when you tell a hiring manager that your one true weakness is that you want everything to be flawless. But what she’s hearing will sound more like “Oh, woe is me—I’m so fabulous that nothing short of perfection will do!” Not to mention, you’ll be spouting a cliché she’s probably heard dozens, if not hundreds of times before. Yes, you may be asked to address the question of your weaknesses, but there are better ways to answer.

5I hate my job.

Maybe you do hate your job, but when you’re interviewing you need to play this fact close to the vest. Make diplomacy your watchword. If you need to address job challenges as part of the “Why are you leaving your current position?” question, frame them as positively as you can. Otherwise, you risk the hiring manager perceiving you as difficult to please, which also means that you might not be satisfied with what the position has to offer.

6I was the company’s go-to person, with a proven track record for creating win-win scenarios.

Buzzwords and clichés don’t make you sound sharp or impressive; they make you seem as though you value flash over substance. Instead, come to the table with solid documentation of your successes. Facts and numbers say a lot more to a potential employer than telling him you “think outside the box.” In fact, saying that you “think outside the box” is more likely to indicate that you don’t.

7What’s your policy on working from home?

Companies are getting more comfortable with the idea of employees working from home at least some of the time, but don’t ask about the possibility of telecommuting during the interview. If a work-from-home situation is what you need, you should apply for jobs with listings that specifically state that remote work is part of the offering.

8Is the schedule flexible?

No one wants to hire someone who’s asking them to adjust to their schedule rather than the other way around. Once you have a job offer, it’s okay to ask for some scheduling leeway if you absolutely need it, but not before.

9Tell me about what this company does.

If you want a job offer, you should have already done your homework, which means you should know what the company does. Instead of asking for a broad explanation of what the company’s all about, go to your interview armed with what you already know. Ask specific clarifying questions. For example: “On your blog, I read that customer service improvements are a major focus for [company] right now. Could you tell me more about how those new initiatives carry over to the sales team?”

10No, I don’t have any questions.

When the hiring manager asks “Do you have any questions for me?” you should absolutely have some. Prepare thoughtful questions in advance. Hiring works both ways—the hiring manager wants to learn whether you’re a fit for the position, but she also wants to see that you care enough to assess whether the position is a fit for you. Otherwise, you just look desperate. If you’re at a loss for questions, here are fifty-one of them.

Please Advise: When to Use “Please Advise”

That email is sitting in your inbox. You know the answer to the question it’s asking, but those two words are still haunting you: “please advise.” It can show up in the subject line, somewhere in the middle of a message, or, most frequently, right before the signature at the end of the email. But what do you do with it?

The good news: if you know the answer to the main question in the email, just write your reply and boom! You’ve “advised.” At the most basic level, “please advise” is a request for advice or answers. But to some people, it can come across as redundant, stuffy, or passive aggressive.

Please advise: What does “Please advise” mean?

Depending on the context, the person who’s using the phrase, and what that person wants, the phrase can have a few different meanings. Here are a few possible synonyms for “please advise”:

• Let me know
• Get back to me
• Can you give me your thoughts, answers, or input?
• Give me the information I already asked for in the body of this email
• I’m waiting for you to respond

As you can see, “please advise” can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Its primary meaning is a request for information, but it can also come across as having one of those last two meanings—and that’s not so pleasant. It all depends on context.

“Please advise” as an email ending

The way readers interpret “please advise” depends not only on what the message is about but also on the tone of the rest of the message. In most cases, this confusion can take place when “please advise” appears as the end of an email.

These example emails give a sense of the different ways “please advise” might come across to a reader.

Dear Karen,

I was hoping you could help me go over the training decks. You were the last person to give these trainings, so I’d appreciate some background on the order and how the exercises are supposed to work.

Please advise. Eric

Dear Jared,

I know you’re swamped, but can you let me know whether it’s okay to move forward with publishing the article? Hoping to get it up mid-week.

Please advise.

Jennifer

In Eric’s email, which already seems passive aggressive, the “please advise” at the end is the bitter cherry on top. Jennifer’s email, on the other hand, tries to be polite, even though Jared has clearly caused some delays.

“Please advise” alternatives

“Please advise” is on the formal side. In fact, it sounds a bit stuffy and old-fashioned. If you want alternatives for “please advise” that work in a more modern, casual workplace, try these synonyms:

• Let me know
• I look forward to your answer
• Thanks for your help
• …Nothing at all

That’s right: the best way to get around “please advise” is just to leave it out. In most cases, the phrase comes after a question, so it ends up functioning as filler words or worse, as in Eric’s email.

In the second example email above, the “please advise” doesn’t necessarily come across as rude, but it’s also not strictly necessary. Here’s a crazy idea: if you’re writing an email asking for information, advice, or ideas from a colleague, they’ll see your request in the body of the email. They already know they’re supposed to get back to you with answers, with or without the “please advise” tacked on at the end.

So, if your message feels complete without “please advise,” just ask your question and leave it at that.

Is “Please advise” wrong?

As far as grammar goes, some experts say that “advise” is a transitive verb, so it needs to have an object. In other words, someone has to be advised. However, it’s pretty obvious who is to be advised: whoever wrote the email. To get around verb confusion, you can think of “please advise” as a shortcut for “please advise [me].”

Another potential problem is the difference between advise and advice. Advice is a noun, meaning “suggestions for what to do,” and advise is a verb meaning “to give advice.” Mix up your s and your c and you’ll need advice on your spelling, as well as on the question you’re actually asking.

In the end, there’s nothing grammatically wrong with “please advise.” It’s just a question of usage and style. Some people don’t like it because it can be interpreted as rude or demanding. Other people think it’s redundant: just ask your question and call it a day.

If you like the formality of “please advise,” go ahead and use it. But first, just make sure the rest of your email doesn’t seem impolite. That will keep your emails clear and courteous no matter what. Whether or not you wanted us to advise, that’s advice you can live by.

Is Irregardless a Word?

• Irregardless means the same thing as “regardless.”
• Yes, it’s a word. But major dictionaries label it nonstandard.

Language is a living thing. No matter how many times we say it, it never gets any less true—language does resemble a living thing. It grows and changes, adapting to new circumstances, new words, new ways to use old words, and new combinations of letters and meaning. It’s a beautiful thing, the fact that language is alive. And you can use that fact to console yourself every time you hear someone say the word irregardless.

Definition of Irregardless

Irregardless is used in the same way you would use the word “regardless.” “Regardless” means “without regard,” because that’s what happens when you add the suffix -less to a word.

You might notice here that irregardless also has “regard” as its root word, and that it also contains the suffix -less. So, if there were any logic about irregardless, the prefix ir-, which has also been added to the root word, would have to bear no meaning. But it does, and that’s the problem with irregardless—it has two negations. The ir- prefix means “not,” and if you add it to a word that already means “without regard,” you get “not without regard.” This double negative is what makes irregardless a mess of a word, and an insult to the army of people who are passionate about English vocabulary. Many of them go so far as to assert that irregardless is not a real word.

Is Irregardless a Real Word?

However, there is a problem with the assertion that irregardless is not a real word. For one, it has a meaning. When someone uses it, you know what they are saying, even though you don’t like how they are doing it. Regardless of your dislike, it carries a meaning.

And people are using it. It might make you cringe, but irregardless is in use. It’s been in use for a whole century. You won’t find too many examples of it in respectable publications that employ editors, but you will hear people say it. In fact, it’s used often enough to catch the eye of lexicographers, and it was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened.

So yes, irregardless is a word you can find in most dictionaries. And it’s not because the lexicographers working on these dictionaries have betrayed the English language by allowing such a mongrel of a word into them.

Nonstandard Words and Descriptive Dictionaries

Dictionaries today are descriptive. They don’t tell you how to use the language or which words you should and shouldn’t use. Descriptive dictionaries simply note the ways language is being used by people. That’s how words like emoji, clickbait, and meme can get in there, and that’s how irregardless got in there as well.

Granted, lexicographers have a way of noting that some of those, let’s call them unusual words, are not words an educated language user would use in formal discussions. Dictionaries add a “nonstandard” tag to such words, and they stay nonstandard until they gain enough traction to be included among the “standard” words. In case you’re wondering, irregardless is a nonstandard word.

Can I Use Irregardless in a Sentence?

If you want to, no one in this world can stop you from adopting irregardless into your speech and using it as much as you’d like. However, you should expect that when someone is grading or editing your work, it will be marked as a mistake. And you should also be aware that it might not be good to use a word a lot of people rightfully see as very problematic. So it might be best to steer clear of it, at least until it makes a run for standard status. Which could happen. Language is a living thing, you know.

5 Memos That Went Terribly Wrong

In the world of digital communications, pretty much everyone can relate to an email experience going terribly wrong at work. Ever hit “reply all” and sprayed a private message to a group of co-workers and lived to regret it?

Writing internal business communications shouldn’t be fraught with peril, but for these unfortunate executives, things went terribly wrong. From the ridiculous to the tragic, take a look at these five truly terrible business memos.

Western Union Internal Memo

Go back in time to 1876 for the first example of a really ridiculous internal memo (in hindsight). Western Union had a monopoly on fast communication; the telephone had just been invented in March of that year. In a bad move of epic proportions, the business executives at Western Union circulated a memo insisting that the telephone would not be a threat to its business. In part, the memo read, “This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication.”

How did that work out for Western Union? Ask yourself the last time you or anyone you know received a telegram. Enough said.

Greg McKay’s Mumbling Memo

You probably don’t know who Greg McKay is, but he’s infamous at the Arizona Department of Child Safety. After Governor Ducey appointed Greg McKay to head the department, McKay sent his employees a memo that managed to be meandering, vainglorious, self-righteous, and insulting all at the same time. Check out these awesome quotes:

• “I will begin by announcing I am not worthy of this position. In fact, no one man or woman could fulfill this endeavor.”
• “Any projects or pilots that lead our staff down a path of potential lawbreaking will stop now.”
• “Please do not be afraid and know that all things done in good faith will be tolerated.”

Law Firm’s Diversity Memo

Diversity in the workplace is an admirable goal and the writers of this internal communication should be commended for working to achieve that goal. But things went downhill quickly. The memo encourages other employees to engage in activities with “diverse hires” to make them feel more welcome. The writer suggests some swell ideas: a 20-minute chat, a lunch invite, or even an invitation to a non-work event.

So far, so good—and then the hammer drops. Employees are required to record and verify their activities with the HR department to prove they remain compliant with the new “inclusivity policy.” How’s that for creating a warm and inclusive workplace?

Microsoft’s Layoff Memo

Microsoft boss Stephen Elop decided the best way to notify employees their jobs were on the line was with a mass memo. Nothing revolutionary there, even though many would argue a more personal approach. Elop, however, badly mangled the job. The memo, which went out to 12,500 Microsoft employees, opened with a jocular “Hello there,” before rambling on for 14 paragraphs about Microsoft’s role, goals, and future plans. The hapless employees had to read through 10 paragraphs before they hit the key bit—notice of the layoff finally appears in paragraph 11.

Aviva Termination Memo

After UK-based insurance company Aviva Investors fired an employee, the HR department prepared a memo for the unlucky worker with instructions for leaving the building. The memo included guidelines for turning over all company property and security passes and urged quick compliance. Unfortunately, the HR staffer sent that memo to the company’s entire 1,300-member global workforce. It took over 30 minutes for the company to realize its error and send another mass email explaining the mistake.

So, what did we learn about writing effective memos from the examples above? Don’t use your memo to predict the future; be concise; be kind; get to the point; and know your audience. Easy, right?

May 21 is National Memo Day! Have you ever been on the receiving end of a ridiculous email or memo gone wrong? Let us know in the comments.

The Secret to Success? Many of Our Favorite Writers Also Worked as Librarians.

April 14 is National Library Workers’ Day. Given the literary nature of library work, it’s not surprising that some of our favorite authors were also librarians. Here’s a short list of writers who put in time between the stacks.

Lewis Carroll Before he began writing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll (whose real name was Charles Dodgson) worked as a librarian in England.

Jorge Luis Borges This Argentinian author had quite a successful career as a librarian. After working as a librarian for years, Borges served as the Director of the National Library of the Argentine Republic.

Madeleine L’Engle After the success of her Newbery Award-winning novel A Wrinkle in Time, author Madeleine L’Engle had a career as a librarian in New York City.

Marcel Proust Proust is famous for his novel In Search of Lost Time, but he also worked at the Bibliothèque Mazarine. The Bibliothèque Mazarine is the oldest public library in France.

Beverly Cleary Newbery Award-winning children’s book author Beverly Cleary also worked as a children’s librarian. Perhaps her experience putting books in the hands of eager readers helped her create some of her famous characters like Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins.