Does Xmas take Christ out of Christmas?

[Paidion]

Every year in December this false notion appears in church newsletters or elsewhere. I encountered it again today (Dec 14).

It is said that the use of "Xmas" takes "Christ" out of "Christmas" and replaces it with an unknown.
Yes, if we're talking algebra, it is true that X represents an unknown.
But that is not the case with "Xmas". The Greek word for "Christ" is "ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ" (CHRISTOS), AND the first letter "X" (chi), is but an abbreviation for "ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ."
If you attend a traditional church or have visited traditional churches, you have probably encountered the following symbol:

☧

This symbol (the first two letters of "ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ" is a symbol for "Christ".

Thus the word "Xmas" does not remove "Christ" from "Christmas" and replace it with an unknown. Rather it uses the abbreviation "X" for "Christ."

So Merry Xmas, everyone!

[steve7150]

This symbol (the first two letters of "ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ" is a symbol for "Christ".

Thus the word "Xmas" does not remove "Christ" from "Christmas" and replace it with an unknown. Rather it uses the abbreviation "X" for "Christ."

So Merry Xmas, everyone

Paidion







OK but who knows this besides you?

[Paidion]

OK but who knows this besides you?

Try googling "xmas" and you will find several sites that support what I have written. Here is one of them:

http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/chr ... xmas.shtml

[mattrose]

I think lots of people know this... but even if they didn't... it could be a good conversation starter

[mattrose]

Another funny thing (at least to me) is the whole idea that 'happy holidays' is some sort of secular alternative to religious phraseology. The word 'holiday' is, of course, just a combination of 'holy' and 'day'. To tell someone 'happy holidays' is no less religious a phrase than 'merry Christmas'.

[Paidion]

It's odd that some worry about taking "Christ" out of Christmas.

But perhaps one should also be concerned that most Protestants also took the "mass" out of Christmas (Christ's Mass).

The first Christmas took place in the fourth century by celebrating three masses in honour of the three births of Christ:

1. His birth before all ages.

2. His birth from the virgin Mary.

3. His birth in the hearts of the faithful.

Prior to the fourth century, Christians did not celebrate the birth of Christ.