The term “jollity” has long been employed by writers to evoke a sense of uninhibited, often communal celebration, yet its usage is replete with nuance. In works such as Frazer’s study of magic and religion, the word connotes lively, noisy merriment as seen in festive days devoted to sport ([1], [2]) and even hints of irony or dark humor when linked to grim gestures ([3]). Poetic texts expand its meaning, pairing it with revelry, dance, and feasting to celebrate life’s brightness ([4], [5]), while its juxtaposition with gloom in Hawthorne’s writings underscores a tension between light and shadow in human experience ([6], [7]). Authors like Ben Jonson even connect it etymologically—suggesting an origin in the imagery of a continually flowing tap—to imply an unrestrained overflow of mirth ([8], [9]). Across diverse genres, from Dickens’s portrayal of ambiguous cheer ([10]) to Fielding’s depiction of boisterous friars ([11]), “jollity” emerges as a versatile emblem of spirited pleasure, sometimes tinged with melancholy or critical irony ([12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17]).