The Origin of "X"mas

[vernard]

Its not what you think.

Summarized:

Christ has for a thousand years been abbreviated with an “X”, which is not the Roman letter “eks”, but the Greek leter “chi,” standing for the first letter of Christ when written in Greek as “christos”. The use of Xmas for “christmas” is first found in the sixteenth century, in the slightly expanded spelling X’temmas; the Xmas form was in use by the eighteenth century. The assumption that the abbreviation is somehow “weak” or “irreligious” since it “removes the Christ from ”Christmas“ is a thoroughly modern idea. We should not that Xmas and other X abbreviations were usually found in the writings of educated people who knew their Greek.


So the next time someone gets all irate about calling it Xmas versus Christmas, just remind them that their righteous indigniation is matched only by their righteous ignorance.

p.s.

Sir Isaasc Newton, who gaves us the theory of gravity, was also born on Dec. 25th. So if you don’t give a rats ass about Christmas, have a beer in honor of him explaining why the planet sucks ;-)

Comments

[10dimensions.livejournal.com]

I knew that because I had to look it up for something or other one time. And it was a trivia answer.

But you know. Christianity is persecuted in our country. They have to end all that persecution by making everyone else conform to their beliefs. It's the only way they can feel comfortable to believe as they do, apparently. Otherwise why on earth would anyone care whether the greeter we all ignore at Wal-Mart wishes us "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas"? Frankly I wish they wouldn't wish me anything, but you don't see me getting all up in arms over it.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

It has been said, and not unfairly, that the Pilgrim Fathers fled religious persecution in Europe in search of the freedom to persecute others in their own way.

[gladstone.livejournal.com]

I call it Poopmas.

[teague.livejournal.com]

Dude, I'll most definately raise a toast to gravity. In fact, if I did everything I wanted, I'd light Kwanzaa candles, spin a dreidle, and run around with a wreath and candles on my head. (St. Lucia. It's a white thing.) This is one of the reasons I celebrate Saturnalia. Romans knew how to party.

read up on your modern cosmology, man...

[happypete.livejournal.com]

it's not that our planet sucks...the universe blows; earth swallows.

Re: read up on your modern cosmology, man...

[happypete.livejournal.com]

okay, earth blows, too--but not as hard as the whole omfg-in universe...

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

The assumption that the abbreviation is somehow “weak” or “irreligious” since it “removes the Christ from ”Christmas“ is a thoroughly modern idea.

Surely, Sir, you are not going so far as to suggest that the outraged and up-in-arms faithful, the pious defenders of their religion, should actually know anything about its history or origins? That verges on heresy!

[jerseygirl1.livejournal.com]

I sent that info to a second-cousin of mine who is forever sending me religions spam.

And I enjoyed sending it with the subject of "Keep the 'X' in Christmas!"

[reannon.livejournal.com]

All of the above: yes. Knew that. :)

However. I have found that the most common use of Xmas in modern times does not come from people honoring the ancient Greek traditions. It comes from people replacing "Christ" with an X to show that they don't subscribe to Christianity and are actually intending it to be derogatory to Christians.

On the flip side. Once, I was about to get angry with someone who wrote "G-d" in a comment in my journal. Often I see atheists writing it that way to express their displeasure with religion - they cannot bring themselves to type the word "God." But instead of yelling, I asked him politely why he wrote it that way. He told me in his faith - Judaism - it is a blasphemy to speak/write the name of God, and that particular blasphemy meant a great deal to his father. So to honor his father, he always wrote $DEITY's name as "G-d." I was very glad I didn't start by yelling.

To me, it's all in the way a word is intended. If it is intended in respect, there is no offense. If it is intended to be derogatory, it is derogation, regardless of the ancient Greek tradition.

[cookingwithgas.livejournal.com]

I generally assume neither tradition or insult. I believe the third way. Lazy.

[reannon.livejournal.com]

That too. :)

[sirinek.livejournal.com]

I dont care if people call it Christmas, Xmas or just call it a generic Holiday.

Its when people try to get all cute and make up words using mixtures of Christmas, Haunakah, and/or Kwanzaa that kinda irritates me. If you don't want to refer to a single specific holiday, just say "Holiday". Sheesh. (Not ranting at you, just in general)

[mktgurl.livejournal.com]

I'll drink a rootbeer to that, Newton that is.