What is the origin of the term X-mas? Are we slowly being de-sensitized to it?

Perhpas I am being too sensitive about this, but every year I get angry when I see the word X-mas being used.

What bothers me the most is that while I am religous, I am not church-going, but yet I see devote christians writing X-mas without even a thought to it.

To me, the whole point to the word Christmas is the word CHRIST. This holiday was originally created to celebrate the birth of Christ. By removing his name, I feel we are taking the last step to taking the religion out of it and making it all about what we are getting.

I am hoping that there may be someone (in the vast knowledge pool that ATS is) here that knows the origin of this abbreviation. I can't help but think that it was created soley for people who are NOT christians but still want to have a holiday of gift-giving.

I seem to see the term used more and more freely in advertisements and media, even on printed cards. Possibly I would be going too far to call it a conspiracy to de-christianize the holiday, but sometimes I can't help but think it is......and that it is working.

Here is the catholic explanation for the source of the word:

The word for Christmas in late Old English is Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ, first found in 1038, and Cristes-messe, in 1131. In Dutch it is Kerstmis, in Latin Dies Natalis, whence comes the French Noël, and Italian Il natale; in German Weihnachtsfest, from the preceeding sacred vigil. The term Yule is of disputed origin. It is unconnected with any word meaning "wheel". The name in Anglo-Saxon was geol, feast: geola, the name of a month (cf. Icelandic iol a feast in December).

source

Some scribes in the middles ages would not Write the word Christ and would instead use an x, just as some use the G_d syntax instead of God.

So the X denoted Christ and does not cheapen the term in anyway.

edit to add the wiki link

Xmas histrory

Today, with knowledge of classical languages being less widespread than formerly, some erroneously believe that the term Xmas is part of an effort to "take Christ out of Christmas" or to literally "cross out Christ";[7] 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).

[edit on 19-12-2009 by Seiko]

WOW...that was fast. Thank you.

So am I understanding correctly that they could not write the word Christ out of respect so used X instead? Very interesting.

My question to you would be that in this modern day, do you think people writing X-mas are doing it out of respect or has it turned into a form of disrespect? Or is it simply that the form of the word has always been around and it's just easier to write...and I need to let it go???

Thanks for your thoughts.

reply to post by westcoast


Given the history of it I see no disrespect intended.

Seasons greetings, happy holidays, any of those terms that do not involve the use of the Christian roots would be a better side to this argument.

As the X symbolizes Christ whether they know it or not, they are still paying tribute to the origins.

So the anti-religion crowd who use X-mas are really saying Christmas . . . in a roundabout way?




Friggin' great! lol

[edit on 12/19/2009 by Lemon.Fresh]

I was thinking more like the "X-Games" which in my simple mind makes Xmas more cool for the kids which is a good thing!

Hmm... my mother was convinced that Xmas was a conspiracy to downplay Christ, in favor of commerce.

I agree that X is a natural abbreviation for Christ, a Greek word whose initial is chi, which has the same form as our letter X.

I do not believe that the original intention was reverent, nor parallel with the convention of not writing out God. G-d reflects a Jewish tradition that any of the names of the godhead ought not to be said or written casually. This has been widely adopted in academia. Kind of PC, but inoffensive.

Also, G-d cannot be mistaken for an abbreviation, since the same number of characters are used as in the fully written-out word. It is an effacement, a traditional category of ritual to de-sanctify something sacred for secular use.

X for Christ, however, has the look and feel of a simple abbreviation, like PC in the earlier paragraph. If there is a difference, then it is in the accidental graphical relationship between the letter and the cross, which maybe makes this abbreviation sit especially well.

Some Christians take offense at usages like Xian. I think they have a point, that there is some needling sometimes. And I think my mother had a point, too, that Xmas does diminish the prominence of Christ.

On the other hand, I think the meaning of a word often trumps its form. I don't think that a lot of people imagine that Los Angeles is angelic, or if their ultimate destination is Santa Barabara, even bother to wonder who in heaven Saint Barbara was. If I encounter Christmas, whether spelled out or said aloud, I don't go all religious.

Christmas is a holiday, easily as much secular as religious. Like Saturnalia was before, like the solstice was by the second or third anniversary of human beings first noticing that it was a reliable annual event (with a complementary solstice in the bargain half-way between, also a good time for a party).

Even atheists take the day off. Even Christians don't pronounce its name "Crighst-mus." Many crossword puzzle designers, of all faiths and none, have probably said a prayer of thanks for Xmas.

If you don't like it, then don't use it. I don't, because it reminds me of my mother in an unpleasant way . If other people use it when you don't, assuming it's because of your religion, then, as Mother used to say, "offer it up." That is, compare your annoyance with the suffering of Jesus on the cross, and let go of yours, for his glory.

That'll fix those godless money-grubbers and faith-baiters.

reply to post by westcoast

Originally posted by westcoast

To me, the whole point to the word Christmas is the word CHRIST. This holiday was originally created to celebrate the birth of Christ.

This day, or this specific part of the month, has existed far before christianity as a day of celebration. Due to the phenomenas of the solar system and earth's position in it, the Winter Solstice has been recognized by ancient cultures:

The solstice itself may have been a special moment of the annual cycle of the year even during neolithic times. Astronomical events, which during ancient times controlled the mating of animals, sowing of crops and metering of winter reserves between harvests, show how various cultural mythologies and traditions have arisen.

Source (Wikipedia.org)

It might not be the birth day of the Christ, except only to the ignorant Christians, who insist that it is signifies the day when the Christ was born. It has been a holyday far before that.

X-mas, as a word or abbreviation must be due the laziness of people, and many people find it hard to type Christmas properly, so they just spell it out that way

Or it is as 8-bits above suggests.

-v

[edit on 20-12-2009 by v01i0]

Sorry, I couldn’t help it ”no pun intended” how about ”X-BOX”? Does it mean “Christ box”...?

peace!

Originally posted by westcoast
Perhpas I am being too sensitive about this, but every year I get angry when I see the word X-mas being used.

What bothers me the most is that while I am religous, I am not church-going, but yet I see devote christians writing X-mas without even a thought to it.

To me, the whole point to the word Christmas is the word CHRIST. This holiday was originally created to celebrate the birth of Christ. By removing his name, I feel we are taking the last step to taking the religion out of it and making it all about what we are getting.

I am hoping that there may be someone (in the vast knowledge pool that ATS is) here that knows the origin of this abbreviation. I can't help but think that it was created soley for people who are NOT christians but still want to have a holiday of gift-giving.

I seem to see the term used more and more freely in advertisements and media, even on printed cards. Possibly I would be going too far to call it a conspiracy to de-christianize the holiday, but sometimes I can't help but think it is......and that it is working.

Here is the catholic explanation for the source of the word:

The word for Christmas in late Old English is Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ, first found in 1038, and Cristes-messe, in 1131. In Dutch it is Kerstmis, in Latin Dies Natalis, whence comes the French Noël, and Italian Il natale; in German Weihnachtsfest, from the preceeding sacred vigil. The term Yule is of disputed origin. It is unconnected with any word meaning "wheel". The name in Anglo-Saxon was geol, feast: geola, the name of a month (cf. Icelandic iol a feast in December).

source

You're being ridiculous for two reasons:

1. There's no conspiracy.
2. Freedom means celebrating however the hell you want you fascist.

Btw. The bigger conspiracy is the cult of Jesus, a non-magical human at best.

If you wanna see worldwide manipulation, just study the history of the bible, the history of corrupt religious leaders, the history of xtians murdering thousands of people, the history of Catholics helping Nazis, the history of religious leaders abusing their power, the history of religion being used to control the poor and under-educated, the history of people falsely claiming to be religious to manipulate people, etc., etc.

Those are a little bit more important than some fox news type hysteria about the war on xmas.

Originally posted by westcoast
This holiday was originally created to celebrate the birth of Christ. By removing his name, I feel we are taking the last step to taking the religion out of it and making it all about what we are getting.

No, it wasn't. The holiday was created long before Christ or Christianity came along and churched it up. Put your Bible down and look it up, origin of the holiday. Here is a link to get you started. www.simpletoremember.com...
And, another thing, "Christ" is a title, not a name. Look it up. it means "Messiah."
What is it with Christians they they never look beyond their precious book for even a second? They read the Bible and blindly believe everything in there is truth! I don't get it. I read the Bible when I was 14 years old, from page one to the last page. Just as soon as I got finished, I knew it was made up from many other sources...why do Christians not come to this? I am not putting you down for your belief, just look in other sources for your information, before stating a fact that is no a fact.

Originally posted by autowrench

Originally posted by westcoast
This holiday was originally created to celebrate the birth of Christ. By removing his name, I feel we are taking the last step to taking the religion out of it and making it all about what we are getting.

No, it wasn't. The holiday was created long before Christ or Christianity came along and churched it up. Put your Bible down and look it up, origin of the holiday. Here is a link to get you started. www.simpletoremember.com...
And, another thing, "Christ" is a title, not a name. Look it up. it means "Messiah."
What is it with Christians they they never look beyond their precious book for even a second? They read the Bible and blindly believe everything in there is truth! I don't get it. I read the Bible when I was 14 years old, from page one to the last page. Just as soon as I got finished, I knew it was made up from many other sources...why do Christians not come to this? I am not putting you down for your belief, just look in other sources for your information, before stating a fact that is no a fact.

A star for you.

I will add, that while he may not be putting you down, I am.

Christians (all religious types really) tend to live in their own little bubble, blindly believing # for no good reason.

Your original post was factually wrong and close minded...two things I tend to expect from Xtians.

Languages evolve, humans are lazy so shorter is better.

End of line

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.