Putting Christ Back in Christmas......Xmas (YUK)

Could it be that it takes up less space when written out. I used it quite frequently before some told me that I should put Christ back in Christmas and, like you, i freak out when I hear it or see it. Appreciate response.

I have heard rumors to that effect but have always considered it a prank on the part of some fool just to be funny. Thanks for your comments.

Okay Pigglies. you have made my day....I have learned something. For some reason or other I had truthfully never read or heard anything about the changing of the dates. Thank you so much for filling me in....I appreciate it. I will not make the mistake again for putting my foot in my mouth about thinking that it was a prank.

A prank that Christ was born on a different day? I think historians pretty much agree it was sometime in the spring, not in the winter. The holiday was moved to match up more closely with a pagan holiday, Winter Solistice.

I, too, in this discussion learned about the Greeks and it gave me time to ponder the issue. I will honor the Greeks in their use of Xmas, of course, but I'm not that sure that all the people who use Xmas do it for that reason. However, like you I will continue to refer to it as Christmas... Thanks for dropping by and for your input. Always nice to see you.

As I have been reading these comments a thought has been going through my head. In the Eastern Christian churches (Russian and Greek Orthodox) there Christmas is celebrated on the 6th of January...day of the Epiphany when the three wise men brought their gifts to the Christ Child. Now why couldn't the Western Christians do the same....observe Christmas as a meaningful holy day and Epiphany as the day for exchanging gifts. That might make a good posting for someone. At least the birthday could be celebrated with the turkey and all the goodies but in reverence to the occasion. Doing away with presents would, God forbid, probably be hard on the economy of the holiday season, but transferring it to January it would maintain the status quo. Just a thought folks, I am not a crusader looking for a cause....just thinking on the keyboard.

Hey butterfly....you're a poet and don't know it....but your feet show it.....they're Longfellows. hehehehehe.....couldnt resist.

Certainly that is your perogative. We all at one time or another like to speed things up by using abbreviations but I feel in some cases it is not appropriate. But then again I feel that each generation changes customs and traditions. My personal feeling is that Christmas is more appropriate. Thanks for dropping by. PS forgive me for taking so long to respond. I must have missed it the first time around and only now reviewing the responses did I pick it up.

Well, despite your disbelief part of the day is celebrated in they way you get together and show your appreciation. Can't find fault with that. Appreciate your response.

Is it a case of forgetting the meaning or overlooking the meaning. Your point about the partying is well taken. Anything for a party seems to be the American way of looking at life. Appreciate your input.

Unfortunately I am separated from my Family in the States plus all my parents have passed on (had three stepfathers as mother was widowned twice). But when I was young we always paid attention to the meaning of Christmas....I remember we would Thank God for our gifts before we could open them. It was during WWII and presents were usually new clothes and shoes. My brother and I got 1 game each, and of course there were always a new book or too. For Christmas dinner we went to the grandparents for dinner which we did both for Christmas and Thanksgiving.....first at fathers parents then at mother's parents....following year it would be reversed...that way each set of grandparents would have us every other year for each holidy. We had fun especially both sets of my grandparents lived in the country. My paternal grandfather who was a widow had neither electricity or indoor plumbing. You can imagine going to an outhouse in the middle of the winter with the north wind blowing up through the opening. Wonderful memories...

I remember the walk along a snowy path that led to the backyard. The place where the outhouse stood. Someone would always walk with the youngsters. They held the flashlight.

Those were the good ole days for sure. Was one of the subjects in the School of Hard Knock.

Not really.....I'm not Portuguese.....American residing in the country of Portugal...Thank you for dropping by.

A wonderful response and so informative. I believe I will think twice before criticizing someone for using Xmas. And the explanation of the 25th of December is also enlightening, at least to me. I have learned quite a bit from this posting although it seems my thinking which out of sync. Thank you so much for this explanation and making my day....this is the second time today that someone has taught me something worthy. I'm sure that if the others that have responded will also appreciate your response. Again, thank you