Did you know the abbreviation of 'Xmas' for 'Christmas' is neither modern nor disrespectful?

Question

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').

Answer 1

Although there is some logic to what you wrote, the replacement of "Christ" with "X" is oviously expresses anti-Christian sentiment in our modern culture. To "X" something out is to obliterate it, and that is the intent of those who use suach an abbreviation. Such people have no knowledge of ancient Greek.
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Answer 2

The first four answers are spot on so anyone reading this ignore the other answers. The abbreviation of Xmas for Christmas is not irreligious, as the other answers state the first letter of the word "Christ" in Greek is chi, this is identical to our X. Xmas came into general use from the church. Xmas was originally an ecclesiastical abbreviation used in tables and charts, during the early days of printing, when font size was limited and type was set by hand, abbreviations were used liberally. The cross as someone mentions has nothing to do with it, at Christmas we a celebrating the birth of Christ and his death the cross is associated with Easter and the crucifixion of Christ.

Answer 3

Well to support your reasoning, ask a Christian why Jesus is represented by a fish. If they look at you quizzically, explain that early Christian Greeks would have had the word "ΙΧΘΥΣ" (ick-thoos) carved on their headstone. This was the Greek word for fish but was also an anagram to represent the phrase "Jesus Christ God's Son is Savior". What letter denotes the word "Christ"? You guessed it...the X. After a while, people would simply start drawing a fish on the headstone and voila! the Jesus fish was born.

Answer 4

Yes, I knew that.

Amazing, isn't it, how many Christians don't know it, isn't it?

But hey, most of the Christians I know know very little about the history of their religion, who the most profound "thinkers" of Christianity were, or how the doctrines of their religion have changed through the centuries.

They just get told that it's the one true only right way, and they are content with that.

This is largely due to the rampant anti-intellectualism that reared it's ugly head in Christianity; the idea that any person who reads their holy book is as competent to understand it as someone who has spent years and years studying not only the scripture itself, but the analysis and history of the religion.

Kind of like saying that anyone who knows how to flip a light switch is a qualified electrician.

Answer 5

Yeah, that's a pretty interesting piece of trivia.

Answer 6

You deserve an "A" for doing your homework. It's really too bad that the others don't work that hard to educate themselves. But thanks for sharing that with us!

Answer 7

Nope....I did not know that. I guess you learn something new each day!

;-)

Answer 8

mmm.. interesting.

Answer 9

interesting....

Answer 10

Thanks.