as happy as a sandboy

The phrase "as happy as a sandboy" refers to someone who is extremely happy or content. It originates from the 19th century in British English and refers to sandboys, who were children or young boys employed to lay damp sand on the floors of public houses to absorb spilled beer and other liquids. Due to their seemingly carefree occupation, sandboys were believed to live a carefree life, thus becoming a metaphor for great happiness or contentment.