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The word Xmas wasn't just shorthand. It was a deliberate attemt to take Christ out of Christmas. That is why other than to point it out, I never use it.

That is a very old and very WRONG rumor....

The X in Xmas did not originate as our English alphabet's X but as the symbol X in the Greek alphabet, called Chi, with a hard ch. The Greek Chi or X is the first letter in the Greek word Christos. ...
Gration claims that as early as the first century the X was used as Christ's initial. Certainly through church history we can trace this usage. In many manuscripts of the New Testament, X abbreviates Christos (Xristos). In ancient Christian art X and XR (Chi Ro--the first two letters in Greek of Christos abbreviate his name. We find that this practice entered the Old English language as early as AD 100. Moreover, Wycliff and other devout believers used X as an abbreviation for Christ. Were they trying to take Christ away and substitute an unknown quantity? The idea is preposterous.
Some may use Xmas today as an unchristian shortcut for Christmas, but the ancient abbreviation by no means originated as such. The scribes who copied New Testament manuscripts had no intention of taking Christ out of the New Testament. They used the abbreviation simply to save time and space. ... http://www.christmaspast.info/forums/Main01/messages/647932485.html

Some may use Xmas today as an unchristian shortcut for Christmas, but the ancient abbreviation by no means originated as such.

First, how many people know Greek and are aware of it?

Second, the Confederate battle flag started out as just a symbol for the Confederacy but the KKK has perverted it to symbolize racism and hatred. My point is that things and reasons change.

Third, if it too much of a bother to write Christ instead of X, then you need to adjust your priorities.

Cite all the historical, arcane gobbledygook you want. Using Xmas is an insult to Christ. If I can find the person responsible for the display for "Xmas," I always ask, "What lead to your conscious decision to remove Christ from Christmas." Most of 'em get pissed off. Too bad.

Let's keep Christ in Christmas.