Why Christmas = X'mas?

Question

What is it mean by X'mas?
What's the "X" stand for?

Answer 1

In the early Christian church (way back during Roman times), an X symbol was a very common symbol used by early Christians, as it is the first letter in the Greek word for "Christ". (The fish symbol, the word "Icthus", and other symbolism involving shepherds and sheep were other methods used by early Christians to identify each other when Christians were still persecuted in Rome).

In the year 312, Constantine claimed to have seen a vision before an important battle of the Chi-Rho (another Christian symbol standing for Christ; looks like an X with a P through it vertically), and heard a voice tell him, "Under this sign you will conquer". He had the symbol made into a banner and carried it into battle with him. After he won the battle, Constantine converted to Christianity and over the course of his reign gradually made Christianity into the official religion of Rome.

Using Xmas instead of Christmas is not (necessarily) "X-ing out" Christ. Some people may use it that way (not understanding the history behind the replacement), but the X was originally used in things like Xmas as explicitly Christian symbolism - as a way of honoring that early Christian history and heritage, as well as having a way to "shorten" the word without actually taking Christ out of it.

Answer 2

When I was going to Catholic school, we were forbidden to write "Xmas" instead of Christmas. They said that we were Xing out Christ.

No one really knows the origin of the word. I've heard two reasons:

1. X = Greek for Chi
2. By the fifteenth century, the abbreviation Xmas was used as an abbreviation. I think this abbreviation was used to save money on printing costs since typesetting was done by hand and was a costly process.

Really don't know if any of the above is the true origin.

Answer 3

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 χ and ρ), used in ancient abbreviations for Χριστος (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.

Nevertheless, some believe that the term is part of an effort to "take Christ out of Christmas" or to literally "cross out Christ"; it is seen as evidence of the secularization of Christmas, as a symptom of the commercialization of the holiday (as the abbreviation has long been used by retailers). It may also be seen as a vehicle to be more inclusive.

Answer 4

It is a christian holiday that is been accepted and celebrated all over north America. Christmas = Christ Mass. So I "think" it takes the Christ out of the equation so as to not offend non Christians. I could be wrong but that's my opinion. Maybe it's along the same lines as happy holidays instead of merry Christmas

Answer 5

Abbreviating Christmas as XMAS doesn't really "take the Christ out of Christmas." The X in "XMAS" stands for the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter in Christos, the Greek word for "Christ," and a commonly used symbol to represent the name of Christ in religious writings.

Answer 6

the Greek Letter for "C" is chi, which look like an english X. Plus the X represents the Christian Cross, so it's just a short hand for Christ.

When you see Xmas, you're not supposed to say it as " X Mas", you say it as Christmas

Answer 7

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 χ and ρ), used in ancient abbreviations for Χριστος (Greek for "Christ"), and are still widely seen in many Eastern Orthodox icons depicting Jesus Christ. And The “X” in “X-mas” is the Greek letter “chi,” which is the first letter in the Greek spelling of “Christ,” itself a word whose origins are Greek. Also The word for Christ in Greek is Xristos. During the 16th century, Europeans began using the first initial of Christ's name, "X" in place of the word Christ in Christmas as a shorthand form of the word. Although the early Christians understood that X stood for Christ's name, later Christians who did not understand the Greek language mistook "Xmas" as a sign of disrespect. Many sites explain the use of "X" for Christ, it is not disrespectful.

Answer 8

Xmas and Xian are middle age christian words where the X represents the Greek letter chi which is the first letter of the Greek word for Christ. This is contrary to the current "belief" that people are trying to take "Christ" out of Christmas.

Answer 9

It's a way of shortening Christmas but a lot of people think it's taking Christ out of Christmas.

Answer 10

Xmas came about because of religious beliefs.

Basically, for those who don't believe in Christ and God believe that December 25th is not "Christs" day, so they don't say/write "Christ"mas. They replace Christ with X. However, more commonly they just say "Happy Holidays"

Hope I helped, and Merry "Christ"mas! :D

ADDING: and yes, those who say X was the greek letter meaning Christ, are right. Technically that is why it started, and now it has been used to ignore the true meaning of Christmas. Which, I believe is totally depressing... :((