What exactly does the phrase “Christmas cheer” mean?
“cheer” means “happiness” – a kind of jolly, upbeat, happiness. So you would go around smiling and laughing and wishing everyone “merry Christmas” and decorating your house and giving people cards and presents and having parties! That way you would be “spreading Christmas cheer.” (but don’t expect everyone to like it. some people don’t like “Christmas cheer” because of bad memories and bad opinions they have about how Christmas is “fake” and “too materialistic.” ) Sometimes people say “a cup of Christmas cheer” to refer to some kind of alcoholic drink they have around Christmas time, which presumably will make them feel cheerful! But of course, this is not the kind of cheer you would “spread!
