Who Invented "X"mas?

[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.

[Cincinatus]

In the early 4th century AD Christianity was adopted as the official religion of the Roman empire. In Britain Christian symbols have been found as evidence of Christianity. The main motifs are the Greek letters X and P, known as the 'chi-rho' symbol, which begin the name of Christ. (Source)

[Billthedrill]

Who invented "X"mas?

I did. And all you buggers who are using the phrase owe me MONEY, dang it!

[Larry Lucido]

So, the ancient Greeks were twisted lefty commie scum? The bastards!

[Revolting cat!]

Oh yes, anything you don't like was invented by those pesky Communists. Better look for them under your bed!

Me thinks Communists start stupid two sentence threads here.

[Armando Guerra]

I will not shop in any store that uses this term in its windows or advertising. And if it's a small business, I'll drop in to tell the owner so.

Good luck even finding "Merry Xmas". I know Macy's won't use it and I heard on Tony Snow that Wal-Mart won't say "Merry Christmas".

Does anyone have a list of pro and anti "Merry Christmas" stores so that we can do our Christmas shopping accordingly?

[BibChr]

So, in your reasoning, the fact that most people don't mean "bow-legged" when they say "cute" is irrelevant? If it used to mean that to some people, it must always mean that to all people?

It's used as an irreverent, Christ-rejecting, cutesy short-cut. Christians shouldn't participate.

Dan

[SampleMan]

"X" is the first letter of Christ in Greek.

I've heard it comes from this origin, and was used well before modern political correctness.

[AntiGuv]

The Spartans were definitely twisted commie scum, but their population and economy suffered a dramatic collapse long before the birth of Christ. There's probably a moral to that story..

[NYFriend]

"And you died on Easter. That's the biggest Pagan Holiday in the history of ever. They're going to celebrate the day of you death on a different day each year, depending on where the moon is. If they don't work out that that's pagan, I'll eat my hat." -E. Izzard

[BibChr]

Show one flaw in it.

Dan

[AntiGuv]

The initial question was about its origins. The answer is what it is.

[drjimmy]

It's used as an irreverent, Christ-rejecting, cutesy short-cut. Christians shouldn't participate.

I find "BibChr" to be an irrevent, Christ-rejecting, cutesy short-cut for "Biblical Christianity." The fires of Hell are gonna feel mighty uncomfortable for you if don't repent and stop using that abbreviation right now!

[wallcrawlr]

I prefer to turn the X on its side so its like this:

[Bernard Marx]

Um, today is the heyday of Communism in America, not the fifties or sixties.

You are so, so right about that! But now they call themselves "Progressives," as they did in the 30s and 40s, and nobody takes any notice. Even the Progressive Insurance Co. owner (it's always been a Far Left company) is rolling in money and contributed almost as much as George Soros to try to defeat Bush.

As for Xmas, I remember it was used back in the 40s simply as an abbreviation on Christmas cards, signs, etc., when people didn't have room to write the whole word. Later there was a public backlash about it, in the 50s or 60s when people actually dared to talk about "putting Christ back in Christmas" without fear of an ACLU lawsuit. While there's definitely an anti-Christian movement in the U.S. I don't think it goes to that extreme. Instead, we should be paying more attention to the matter wtc911 brought up.

[Puppage]

I never heard that. I thought "X" meant unknown. Like Macolm X. Someone who's true identity wasn't known.

[fritzz]

For once I bothered to read the thread before being one of the ten

You,too. Me, too

[Hi Heels]

My understanding is that the 'X' stands for the cross upon which Christ died.

My Dad told me that. Probably not true, but it's so lovely a thought I refuse to dispute it.