Using Xmas Instead Of Christmas

Xmas" and "X-mas" are common abbreviations ofholiday, however there are no facts to support
the word "Christmas". They are sometimesthis theory. It is not clear when the abbreviation
pronounced "eksmas", but they, and variants suchwas first used, but it is commonly believed to
as "Xtemass", originated as handwritinghave been by a person making a sign who figured
abbreviations for the pronunciation "Christmas".that making the writing small enough to fit the
The "-mas" part came from the Anglo-Saxon foravailable space would make it unreadable from a
"festival", "religious event":distance. Instead they used Xmas to take up less
Crīstesmæsse orspace. Over the course of several years the
Crīstemæsse. This abbreviation isabbreviation became more common and Xmas
widely used but not universally accepted; somebegan to be seen in more places. However, the
view it as demeaning to Christ, whilst others findreality is the 'X' is a modern rendition of the
it a helpful abbreviation. The word "Christ" and itslabarum, or Chi-Rho symbol, written as an 'X' with
compounds, including "Christmas", have beena 'P' in the center, which means Christ. The
abbreviated for at least the past 1,000 years,symbol was used over 1,000 years ago in place
long before the modern "Xmas" was commonlyof the word and when used with the Anglo-Saxon
used. "Christ" was often written as "XP" or "Xt";word 'mas' that means festival or religious event,
there are references in the Anglo-Saxon Chroniclewas often used as the name of Christ's birthday.
as far back as 1021 AD. This X and P arose asIn fact the Ladies Home Journal published an ad
the uppercase forms of the Greek letters), usedusing the term Xmas in 1922. Some religious
in ancient abbreviations and are still widely seen inindividuals blame retailers for using Xmas as they
many Eastern Orthodox icons depicting Jesusare often prone to abbreviate nearly everything,
Christ. The occasionally held belief that the "X"especially in printing and print ads as bigger words
represents the cross Christ was crucified on hascost more money. However, since the term
no basis in fact. St Andrew's Cross is X-shaped,Xmas has been around a lot longer than virtually
but Christ's cross was probably shaped like a T.all retail stores, that theory has no support.
Indeed, X-as-chi was associated with Christ longPerhaps the abbreviation of Xmas has grown to
before X-as-cross could be, since the cross as asuch proportions that the letter 'X' is often used
Christian symbol developed later. While some seeas an abbreviation in words that have nothing to
the spelling of Christmas as Xmas a threat,do with Christ.. Words such as extreme are often
others see it as a way to honor the martyrs. Theabbreviated as xtreme and occasionally a celebrity
use of X as an abbreviation for "cross" in modernwill use an 'X' to replace the word Christ in their
abbreviated writing (e.g. "Kings X" for "Kingsname, such as Christina Aguilera, sometimes
Cross") may have reinforced this assumption.writing her name as X-tina. While most religious
There has been an outcry recently over the usescholars and historian have no objection to the
of Xmas in place of Christmas and what mayterm Xmas, there are others who believe that
have started as a shortened version of thethe abbreviation is way by which retailers and a
holiday name to fit on smaller signs, has turnedfew others can take the meaning of Christ out of
into a sometimes heated debate. Since ChristmasChristmas, with no regard to the historical
is a deeply rooted religious holiday some contendbeginnings of the word.
the 'X' is determined to take Christ out ofRoger Thompson writes for Leading Portal for
Christmas while others see the 'X' as form of aHome Improvement,cash back rewards,weight
cross, maintaining the religious meaning of theloss & hoodia.