wär das ne idee?

advent season = adventszeit

mein Vorschlag

I would say there is no standard phrase to refer to this calendrical period before Christmas. The Brits (apart from those who actually go to church regularly) don't "do" advent in the Germanic sense - it is only since coming to live in Austria that I learnt about advent wreaths and lighting candles on Sundays in Advent.

The period before Christmas is generally the "run up to Christmas", "happy holidays" strikes me as a PC attempt to avoid offending anyone when what you actually want to say is "Happy Christmas" - but this refers to the 25th rather than the four weeks prior to this.

"The festive season" is the closest thing I can think of, but it isn't anything I would expressly wish for anyone.
I would recommend a gloss here!
Has that been helpful at all?!

Well, it certainly helped me. Thanks.

The term I would use (or would at least consider to use) is 'beschaulich' . . .

Dictionary: beschaulich*

or 'besinnlich': Dictionary: besinnlich* . . .

Both 'contemplative' in English . . .

@Daddy: In der Anfrage geht es aber um Adventszeit, nicht darum, ob sie beschaulich, besinnlich, froh oder sonst wie ist...

vienna girl hat es sehr schön auf den Punkt gebracht.

@ #6: Willst Du damit sagen, daß ich mich hier verlesen habe ?

"Ich wünsche Euch eine schöne/frohe Adventszeit" . . .

Nein, nicht verlesen, aber scheinbar das eigentliche Problem (schöne/frohe Adventszeit) verkannt.

die umfasst ja neben den Feiertagen auch den Advent...

Ist die Adventszeit, zumindest in USA und Schottland.
Habe geschäftlich viel mit diesen Ländern zu tun und sie schreiben mir meist: Wishing you and your family the Christmas season's joys and wonders

Email eines amerikanischen Geschäftskollegen

Der Thread ist zwar schon älter, ich könnte mir aber vorstellen, dass er im Moment öfters aufgerufen wird (so wie von mir), daher hier noch ein neuer Vorschlag: "Enjoy the holiday season"

In Weihnachtskarten steht auch häufig "Season's Greetings"

"Have a cheerful run-up to Christmas." - 0 Google-Treffer.
"Have a peaceful run-up to Christmas." - 43 Google-Treffer.
"Have a quiet run-up to Christmas." - 7 Google-Treffer.

Ist das wirklich ein überzeugender Grund zur Fadenexhumierung?

Contrary to others here, among at least a certain US group (people who belong to churches that follow the liturgical year) -- and I suspect those who attend CoE or RC services in England, etc. -- the concept of Advent is alive and well, even if they don't celebrate it outside of worship.

What bothers me here is the basic proposition that "Adventszeit" needs to be translated in any way other than "Advent." Since Advent is a season of the church year, any translation of "-zeit" is superfluous in English. Simply "Happy Advent" suffices. (There was a time in liturgical churches when Advent was a penitential season, quite similar to Lent. At least in churches that follow the Revised Common Lectionary, that emphasis has shifted to it being a season of expectation and preparation -- unfortunately, the churches of the EKD are still pretty much stuck with the medieval lectionary....)