In making shortcuts, why does people include 'X' as a substitute for Christ in Christmas?

Question

Isn't it disrespectful replacing Christ's name with 'X'? Why don't just they complete it's spelling?

Answer 1

The X is often used out of spite to keep Christ out of Christmas (it's Jesus' birthday!) I mean, yeah why not just write it all out ... it is only five more letters. BTW, Christ is a title for Jesus, not a true part of his name. Taken from the Greek, it means "The Annointed One" as in the Messiah.

Some try to explain it as a direct substitute for Christ with X being the letter in the Greek alphabet signifying "Chi" for the first part of Χριστός (which is pronounced "Christos").

So, for a proper English one-for-one substitution for Christ (in Christmas) besides X (Chi) you would have to add P (Ro) I (Iota) Σ (Sigma) and T (Tau) = XPIΣT/add O (Omicron) and Σ (Sigma) = XPIΣTOΣ. (All CAPS used only for ease in pasting the more commonly used Greek letters for English speakers based on fraternity/sorrority/etc. familiarity).

I say, just spell it out Christmas, & that way U can keep Christ in Christmas as it should be. If you have an aversion to using Christ at this time of year, call it the holiday season or season greetings, but not X-mas.

EDIT: To all that thumbs downed my answer, thank you very much, I appreciate the feedback. So, am I to assume (I'm guessing really) this means I am correct that you don't want a religious perspective for an answer, despite the question being placed in "Religion & Spirituality"? May I suggest you try questions in Society & Culture under Holidays then if you don't want to see/read/accept a religious perspective?

Merry Christmas/Happy Hannukah/Season Greetings/Happy Holidays y'all & Have a Blessed New Year too!!!

Answer 2

Before the invention of the printing press in the 1400s, all Bibles and other books and documents were hand copied one page at a time. With a book the length of the Bible (almost as long as all 7 Harry Potter novels) copying one would take months. So many of the common words were shortened to reduce copying time (and paper usage - which was expensive). The word Christ in the original Greek language begins with the letter chi, which looks like our English letter "x". Since it was a very uncommon letter 9about like our "q" today), it was standard to shortened the word "Christ" to simply a capital "X" (Chi).

The custom of writing Xmas for Christmas still remains. But today, because of the changes in language, spelling, and the meaning of the letter "X", it often no longer carries the meaning "Christ", but can be used in a disrepectful way. But not always - you have to consider the context.

Answer 3

Like several others pointed out, it is from the Greek spelling which is closer to the original then the English.Of course, neither "Christ" nor "X" is the correct spelling of the original name.But since Greek is an older language then English, I would think people would feel honored that some choose to use it for specific references.It is sort of like paying respect to history, whether you believe all of histories details or not, with more historically accurate language.

Answer 4

X = Chi in Greek, or something., which is also why some people call Christians Xians. I believe. X and Christ are interchangeable.

QUOTE:

What does 'xian' mean?
"What does the abbreviation 'xian' mean? Is it an insult?"

When writing the name "Christ," it is quite common to abbreviate it to X or x, representing the first letter (chi) of the Greek XPICTOC khristos. For example, "xmas" is a common abbreviation of "Christmas." "Xian" just means "Christian."

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the use of the abbreviation "xian" or "xtian" for "Christian" dates back at least as far as 1634. Before that, it was more usual to take the first two letters of XPICTOC, and write "xpian" for "Christian." Priests would record Christenings using the shorthand "xpen" or "xpn."

So no, it's not an insult.

Answer 5

fromlink:
Usage of X for Christ
The word "Christ" and its compounds, including "Christmas", have been abbreviated for at least the past 1,000 years, long before the modern "Xmas" was commonly used. "Christ" was often written as "XP" or "Xt"; there are references in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as far back as 1021 AD. This X and P arose as the uppercase forms of the Greek letters ? and ?), used in ancient abbreviations for ???st?? (Greek for "Christ"), and are still widely seen in many Eastern Orthodox icons depicting Jesus Christ. The labarum, an amalgamation of the two Greek letters rendered as ?, is a symbol often used to represent Christ in Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christian Churches.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas

Answer 6

The Greek letter "Chi," which looks like the English X, is the first letter in the Greek translation of Christ's name. That is where the X in X-mas comes from.

Answer 7

No, it is not disrespectful at all. In fact, there is a story behind it. Christians who were persecuted used an X to indicate their love of God. That is how they recognized one another.

(I got this from the special "Santa Claus is coming to town.")

Now, a few atheists use the "X" to mock us and to try to get people riled up, or else they say, "You Christians," as if we were scumbags or something.

Don't let it bother you.

Answer 8

Because it easier to spell.

Disrespectful to who exactly? Not Christians, they love the cross. If Jesus had been executed by electric chair, would they ware a little silver one on a chain too? Like hey do the cross?

Answer 9

This is greek for Christ
and its an Eastern Orthodox
icon
which is still used today

Answer 10

Yes, I deliberately write "Xmas" in a conscious attempt to offend a 1st Century Jew, who may or may not have existed, and his modern-day followers who believe he's still alive.

*cue eye-roll*