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Christmas Scottish Gaelic Phrases

An Nollaig

Christmas is called "An Nollaig" in Scottish Gaelic. The phrase to know first is "Nollaig Chridheil!" (Merry Christmas!).

The usual Scottish Gaelic Christmas greeting is Nollaig Chridheil, "a cheerful Christmas". Below are three greetings from the LearnGaelic dictionary, the replies, a line for cards and the Christmas words you will meet in Gaelic.

Greetings

Nollaig Chridheil!

Merry Christmas!

The most common greeting. Cridheil means "cheerful" or "hearty".

Nollaig Mhath!

Happy Christmas!

Another greeting in the dictionary. Math means "good".

Nollaig Shunndach!

Happy Christmas!

A third option. Sunndach means "happy" or "cheerful".

Replies

Agus a leithid cheudna dhut!

Likewise, the same to you!

The reply the LearnGaelic dictionary gives to a Christmas greeting.

Mar sin leat fhèin!

The same to you!

A short reply that works for any good wish.

For cards and messages

Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna Mhath Ùr!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The usual double wish for a Christmas card.

Useful words

Oidhche na Nollaig

Christmas Eve

Oidhche means "night".

Là na Nollaig

Christmas Day

Là means "day".

Bodach na Nollaig

Santa Claus

Bodach means "old man".

craobh na Nollaig

Christmas tree

The dictionary also gives craobh Nollaig, without na.

cairt Nollaig

Christmas card

Cairt means "card".

duf na Nollaig

Christmas pudding

The dictionary also gives turraisg na Nollaig.

mìosachan na Nollaig

Advent calendar

Mìosachan means "calendar".

The history of An Nollaig

Gaelic Nollaig comes from Old Irish Notlaic, from Latin nātālīcia, with specific reference to the birth of Christ; Irish has the same word. After the Reformation, Christmas in Scotland was kept very quietly, and Christmas Day only became a public holiday in 1958. Hogmanay (New Year's Eve), Oidhche Challainn, was by far the bigger celebration. In Gaelic, New Year's Day is also called An Nollaig Bheag, "the little Christmas".

Common questions

How do you say Merry Christmas in Scottish Gaelic?

Nollaig Chridheil. Nollaig Mhath and Nollaig Shunndach are also used.

How do you reply to Nollaig Chridheil?

Say Mar sin leat fhèin, "the same to you", or Agus a leithid cheudna dhut, "likewise, the same to you".

Christmas in the other Celtic languages

Irish

Nollaig shona duit!

Welsh

Nadolig Llawen!

Cornish

Nadelik lowen!

Manx

Nollick Ghennal!

Breton

Nedeleg laouen!

Further reading

Irish vs Scottish Gaelic: how different are they really?→The 6 Celtic Languages: how they are related, how they compare→About learning Scottish Gaelic on blas.→

Scottish Gaelic is on blas. now

Grammar, mutations, vocabulary, and reading with spaced repetition. The Scottish Gaelic course is in the blas. app now.

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Scottish Gaelic phrases for the year ahead

Halloween

31 October

St Andrew's Day

30 November

Hogmanay

31 December

Burns Night

25 January

St Brigid's Day

1 February

Valentine's Day

14 February

Easter

Easter Sunday (March or April)

Beltane (May Day)

1 May

Royal National Mòd

October (dates vary)

Scottish Gaelic phrases for everyday occasions

Happy birthday

Congratulations

Sorry for your loss

Good luck

Thank you

Welcome

Cheers

I love you

Good morning

Good night

Sources

Every phrase and fact on this page was checked against the sources below. Last checked 2026-10-20.

Credit: Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.