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.
I did.
Regards,
Mr. X
In medical terminology X can mean 'all the rest' such as in Hx means history on your medical chart.
Someone named Malcolm?
Not even close, but very amusing.
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.
As a matter of fact, I too suspect many use it in order to take Christ out of Christmas.
Google is your friend.
I wonder if it has anything to do with a prohibition on fully spelling out G_d as some people do. I'd like to know any biblical references pertaining to that - gotta have a "controlling legal authority", don't cha know? If there is a basis for not spelling out G_d, then one could easily make the leap that "X" would also be appropriate for His Son. Personally, I spell them out.
You can't hide forever, you know.
Google brought up this, from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
Xmas
SYLLABICATION: X·mas
PRONUNCIATION: krsms, ksms
NOUN: Christmas.
ETYMOLOGY: From X, the Greek letter chi, first letter of Greek Khrstos, 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.