Irksome Expressions and Turns of Phrase #2

“Have a safe and happy holiday!” I’ll bet people under the age of 20 think this is the standard form of well-wishing before a vacation. But I remember the good old days when people said, “Have a great holiday!” The word “safe” appeared about the same time monkey bars over 5 feet tall disappeared from the nation’s playgrounds (along with the asphalt, which I don’t miss quite as much). For a while, “safe and happy” appeared only on elementary school bulletin boards, but now I actually hear people utter this in conversation with peers. If this keeps up, people will soon be wishing you a “tasty and nutritious meal” instead of a “nice lunch.”