Christmas comes but once a year
Meaning: Rare opportunities demand we cherish them fully rather than postpone joy or neglect what matters most.
Origin: Thomas Tusser's Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry, a 16th-century farming calendar in verse, has "At Christmas play and make good cheer, / For Christmas comes but once a year." Tusser meant it as a farmer's license to feast after the year's labor; it is now also used to excuse extravagance.
Equivalents in Italian
- Italian: Natale non viene che una volta l’anno (literally: Christmas comes but once a year)
More proverbs about Wisdom
- Cool heads must prevail — Rational thinking, not emotional impulse, resolves conflicts and prevents disaster.
- Dance with the one that brung ya — Loyalty to those who supported you initially matters more than chasing new opportunities.
- Even Homer nods — The English translation Homer nods has become standard following Pope (1709), but is due…
- Every Jack has his Jill — Everyone eventually finds a compatible romantic partner, regardless of their circumstance…
- Everything happens for a reason — Life's setbacks contain hidden purposes that may only become clear with time and reflecti…
- Failure to prepare is preparing to fail — Neglecting advance planning guarantees poor outcomes when circumstances demand readiness.
From our idioms
- Ei ole kaikki muumit laaksossa — Someone isn't quite all there.
- Maksaa maltaita — To cost a fortune.
- Heittää lusikka nurkkaan — To die.