Just wondering :)
2006-12-06 16:32:30 · 25 answers · asked by ashley, babesâ?¢ 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
Short for Christmas
Its sound like you are pronouncing X
c-h-r-i-s(X)m-e-s(X)
2006-12-06 16:34:13 · answer #1 · answered by Janet Y 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Christmas is sometimes shortened to Xmas, an abbreviation that has a long history.In early Greek versions of the New Testament, the letter Χ (chi), is the first letter of Christ. Since the mid-sixteenth century Χ, or the similar Roman letter X was used as an abbreviation for Christ. Religious publications were the first to use Xmas as an abbreviation; the usage spread from there into general use
2006-12-06 16:36:29 · answer #2 · answered by Caitlin 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
From Snopes.com
Actually, this usage is nearly as old as Christianity itself, and its origins lie in the fact that the first letter in the Greek word for 'Christ' is 'chi,' and the Greek letter 'chi' is represented by a symbol similar to the letter 'X' in the modern Roman alphabet. Hence 'Xmas' is indeed perfectly legitimate abbreviation for the word 'Christmas' (just as 'Xian' is also sometimes used as an abbreviation of the word 'Christian').
For the ones who think it's designed to take christ out of christmas, I have two pieces of information for you ...
First:
None of this means that Christians (and others) aren't justified in feeling slighted when people write 'Xmas' rather than 'Christmas,' but the point is that the abbreviation was not created specifically for the purpose of demeaning Christ, Christians, Christianity, or Christmas -- it's a very old artifact of a very different language.
Secondly, christ wasn't in christmas to begin with. You're celebrating a pagan holiday every December 25th, so if some of us choose to conserve our energy by typing Xmas intead of christmas, you don't have much right to get offended ... your christ had nothing whatsoever to do with December 25th, if he ever existed in the first place.
2006-12-06 16:37:11 · answer #3 · answered by Jaded 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The X is the symbolic letter of Christ, so even when people abbreviate Christmas to X-Mas, it has the same meaning.
2006-12-06 16:40:04 · answer #4 · answered by georgia peach 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Using "X" as an abbreviation for Christ goes as far back as 1021 AD, based on Greek characters.
Many manuscripts of the New Testament also use X to abbreviate Christ.
MERRY XMAS.
2006-12-06 16:52:39 · answer #5 · answered by ty 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I always thought it's an attempt to remove religion from the holiday, by replacing Christ with X!
2006-12-06 16:37:45 · answer #6 · answered by Gifted and Gracious 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
In the Koine Greek of the Bible, Chirst or "Christos" looks almost like this: Xpiotoc. The "X" is the Jewish CHanukka or German BaCH.
2006-12-06 16:41:23 · answer #7 · answered by RedStarYellowSun 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
the x in x mas is an abrrevation for christ.... because the people who lust for money on this earth are jealous of our lord and savior
if you are a christian refuse to do bussiness with these satanists who woul love nothing more then to remove the "christ" from christmas.... christmas is not about santa clause or your personal greed?.... or the greed retailers have to hit you with the gimmick of santa... to get into your bill fold, but christmas is about the birth of the savior of this world our lord jesus christ... yes spidey is a die hard christian!!!!
hope this helps.
2006-12-06 16:40:20 · answer #8 · answered by spiderman 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
It's the secular part of society trying to take Christ out of Christmas.
2006-12-06 16:36:39 · answer #9 · answered by FRANKFUSS 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
can be used as a short version of christ, or to just replace the religigous makeins of the holiday, such as i do, i use it as i dont beleive in him
2006-12-06 16:40:42 · answer #10 · answered by kydd 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The x is crossing out christ, so in other words the x is blocking the word christ meaning your taking Christ out of christmas.
2006-12-06 16:38:03 · answer #11 · answered by Lady B 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋