We Wish You a Merry “X-Mas!”

Author

James Berigan
December 20, 2024

I know that I am guilty of a bah-humbug or two when I see the term “X-mas” written out during this holy time of year. Come on! Are you too lazy to write out “Christmas” for Pete’s sake?!

However! I just recently learned that this is NOT some kind of blasphemous dis on our Lord and Savior, but it actually has a historical meaning!

It seems that around the middle 1500s, Christian publications started using this abbreviation to save paper and reduce costs. Chi (X) is the first letter of Christ in Greek Χριστός (Christos).

That means that the “X” in the well-known Christian symbol ☧ is the very same “X” from “X-mas”! WOW! 🤯 (MIND BLOWN!)

Huh! Who knew? (Probably everyone except me!)

Thanks to https://jacobrcrouch.wordpress.com/ for the tip!