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Suppose someone is saying to you:

I wish you Merry Christmas!

or

Good luck!

Is it meaningful to reply "You too"?
Or should you respond "Same to you"?

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  • 3
    As a side note, if you wanted to wish somebody a merry christmas, it is more common to simply say "Merry Christmas" rather then "I wish you [a] merry Christmas". By saying merry Christmas, it is implied that you are hoping they have a merry Christmas.
    – n00b
    Jan 24, 2013 at 5:24
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    Either of these can work fine, and even better with a "thanks" in front of them. "Thanks, you too!" or, "Thanks, same to you!" I wouldn't have a preference toward either one of those. In fact, you might want to mix them up so that you're not always giving the same canned response – something that friends and acquaintances may notice over time.
    – J.R.
    Feb 5, 2013 at 13:49

4 Answers 4

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"You too" is an abbreviation of a repeat of the sender's statement, for example:

Merry Christmas!

[Merry Christmas to] You too!

This is entirely valid spoken English (it's very informal in written English), but be careful of when you don't want to return the greeting in its exact form. For example, the following is fine when both you and your friend are heading home from work:

Have a safe trip home!

You too!

But the previous conversation is wrong (but usually obviously and inoffensively wrong) if the first person is not travelling home, for instance if the second person were leaving the first's house after a visit.

In such a circumstance, one would normally have to think of an alternative response, for example:

Have a safe trip home!

Thanks! Have a great evening!

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  • I think it's a more general phenomenon. I heard people saying "My mom told me to be good" "Me too" (the latter is in the sense of to me too) Jun 18, 2013 at 20:33
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As an American English speaker, I would have no trouble interpreting a reply of "you too!" if I told someone "good luck!" It functions the same as "same to you".

When it comes to a holiday greeting, though, I have more often seen it where people add the "you too" to the original greeting. For example:

Person A : Merry Christmas!

Person B: Thanks, merry Christmas to you, too!

If you'd prefer a simple rule, then "you too!" is acceptable on its own but it might make more sense when it's paired with the original greeting.

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    Keep in mind though that "you too" won't work with some of the wish-phrases. Example: You're going on a trip. You're friend, who is staying home says, "Have a nice trip" to which you reply "you too." It doesn't quite work if the other person isn't going on a trip, but it can be funny sometimes. ;) Jan 24, 2013 at 4:38
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    @gorilla good point! But I think the OP is referring to returning the greeting in kind when it applies in his given situations
    – user65
    Jan 24, 2013 at 4:41
  • Is "same to you" more common? ("better"?)
    – KajMagnus
    Jan 24, 2013 at 10:23
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    @KajMagnus Actually I'd say "same to you" sounds more formal, and less likely to be used. "You too" is much more common.
    – WendiKidd
    Feb 5, 2013 at 23:42
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This makes sense only if the one giving you the good wishes is in the same situation as yourself. For instance, if someone wishes you a Happy Birthday, it's nonsensical to say 'You too!' unless they happen to share the same birth date.

If someone wishes you 'Merry Christmas', it's a reasonable assumption that they are Christian, or that they do at least recognize and celebrate the Christmas holiday, so it's fine to respond with 'you too', or more properly, "Merry Christmas to you too!"

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You too! is colloquially used; one can consider using The same to you! or A Merry Christmas to you too! for much formal events.

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