Posted on 12/03/2004 7:54:47 AM PST by rpellegrini
Who invented "X"mas? Why not C'mas, instead? My guess is that it was some twisted lefty from the heyday of communism in America. Someone who thought it important to X out Christ, not simply abbreviate.
Seeing that it is not a term that I allow to be used in my home, I don't really care who came up with it.
Actually, from what I recall reading years ago, X actually meant Christ. Anyone else hear that?
Um, today is the heyday of Communism in America, not the fifties or sixties.
Some say the X has religious meaning but I prefer CHRISTMAS!
Umm...X is an ancient greek symbol for Christ, as ten people will have probably told you by the time I finish typing this.
Xmas
SYLLABICATION: X·mas
PRONUNCIATION: krsms, ksms
NOUN: Christmas.
ETYMOLOGY: From X, the Greek letter chi, first letter of Greek Khrstos, Christ. See Christ.
USAGE NOTE: Xmas has been used for hundreds of years in religious writing, where the X represents a Greek chi, the first letter of , “Christ.” In this use it is parallel to other forms like Xtian, “Christian.” But people unaware of the Greek origin of this X often mistakenly interpret Xmas as an informal shortening pronounced (ksms). Many therefore frown upon the term Xmas because it seems to them a commercial convenience that omits Christ from Christmas.
I think you are wrong. "X" is a completely appropriate way to shorten the word and it has nothing to do with taking Christ out of Christmas.
X here actually refers to the Greek letter "chi", which is a shorthand way of writing Christ (Christos). It also looks like a Cross, another reference to Christianity.
X is the symbol of Christ in Greek.
From the American Heritage Dictionary
I did.
Regards,
Mr. X
For once I bothered to read the thread before being one of the ten.
In medical terminology X can mean 'all the rest' such as in Hx means history on your medical chart.
Someone named Malcolm?
Thanks for saving me the typing time.
Not even close, but very amusing.
Gosh, I was slow!
Here's the real explanation. The use of the letter "X" to abbreviate the name of Christ is very old. Nothing sinister in the abbreviation.
Xmas
SYLLABICATION: X·mas
PRONUNCIATION: krsms, ksms
NOUN: Christmas.
ETYMOLOGY: From X, the Greek letter chi, first letter of Greek Khrstos, Christ. See Christ.
USAGE NOTE: Xmas has been used for hundreds of years in religious writing, where the X represents a Greek chi, the first letter of , “Christ.” In this use it is parallel to other forms like Xtian, “Christian.” But people unaware of the Greek origin of this X often mistakenly interpret Xmas as an informal shortening pronounced (ksms). Many therefore frown upon the term Xmas because it seems to them a commercial convenience that omits Christ from Christmas.
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