like a kid on Christmas morning
1
8.3
- idiom
- Informal
- Eric comes running in like a kid on Christmas morning.
Examples
-
She opened the envelope with her college acceptance letter, looking like a kid on Christmas morning.
-
Even encased in the bulky suit, he radiated excitement, practically quivering like a kid on Christmas morning.
Fiction book (1999) -
Faith is like a kid on Christmas morning. # FAITH #
Fiction book (1994) -
When he found out he got the promotion, he was like a kid on Christmas morning.
-
The children jumped up and down like kids on Christmas morning when they saw their new toys.
Synonyms
383
2.3
Feeling very excited and happy
10
3.7
To act happy and without worry like a child
3
7.2
Very excited and happy because there are many things to choose from
1
8.2
Feeling very happy and content
1
2.8
Feeling happy and cheerful
Look suddenly very happy and excited
Very excited and happy in an obvious way
Feeling very pleased and full of joy
Antonyms
How Excited
Surface Forms
Morphology
like + a + kid + on + Christmas + morning
This is a transparent simile: knowing 'kid' (child), 'Christmas' (holiday associated with gifts) and 'morning' allows a learner to infer the prototypical image of a child excited about presents. The meaning 'extremely excited or joyful' is directly and predictably derived from the constituents and the cultural script is widely shared, so a B1 learner who knows the words will likely understand it.
Etymology
Like a kid on Christmas morning paints a clear picture: a kid waking up, seeing gifts, with bright eyes and a big smile on Christmas morning. That's why the phrase means 'extremely excited' or 'full of joy'.