Is the phrase "Happy Occasion" a euphemism for a sad occasion? Happy occassions like birthdays, anniversaries, weddings make me sad.  The sadness of these happy occasions seems to increase when that phrase is adorned by another.  I proceed cautiously when I hear "what a happy occasion" or that something is "such a happy occasion", as then I tend to be sadder than on mere happy occasions.  If a question was formulated...if someone says,"Wasn't this a happy occassion?", or "This was a happy occasion, wasn't it?"  It wasn't.