Christmas or Xmas
@just4him (323168)
Green Bay, Wisconsin
December 22, 2015 12:55pm CST
It almost saddens me to see people put Xmas instead of Christmas. I know it's the same as saying Happy Holidays and being politically correct at this time of year.
It's a good thing God wasn't politically correct when He sent Jesus to be born of a virgin and give us the reason for the season wrapped up in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
By the way, whatever your greeting this year in your desire to be politically correct or to try to keep Jesus out of your celebrations you really can't take Christ out of Christmas because X is Greek for Christ.
Merry Christmas
8 people like this
14 responses
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
22 Dec 15
It never occurred to me that it was anything to do with 'political correctness' (because that didn't exist when I was young). I always believed that it was just a way of making the word shorter and I know that my father vehemently disparaged 'Xmas' and certainly would have felt exactly the same way about the 'txtspk' habit of putting 'u' for 'you', 'v' for 'of' and so on. I'm sure that his objections, at least, had nothing to do with keeping the 'Christ' in 'Christmas' because, for us, Christmas was mostly a secular festival, though my mother generally went to Midnight Mass (Church of England style).
6 people like this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
22 Dec 15
The X I believe came into popular use with Christmas cards because of how it shortened a long word to write, but Christian moralists have always objected to its usage. Today with copy and past there is no reason to shorten the word any more.
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
22 Dec 15
@innertalks Xmas aside I rarely use word abbreviations any more. In part we have electronics to help us (think ahead typing) and secondly we have spell checkers. All of this makes so much difference in our lives.
3 people like this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
23 Dec 15
@innertalks The thing is those abbreviations would not work for my parents, who would use t'day and that is all. But that is a part of changing language. I remember programming when we had to set variable names in 6 characters of less, and you had to be inventive when having similar named variables.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23739)
• Australia
23 Dec 15
@pgiblett I send a lot of text messages still.
I hate that "think ahead typing" there, and I have switched it off. (on my mobile that is)
I use abbrevs, like tday, or 2day, for today, gud for good, snt for sent, delvrd for delivered, etc. etc.
But then again you wouldn't really call these true abbreviations I feel, maybe they are just textspeak??
1 person likes this
@Traceyjayne (11314)
• United Kingdom
22 Dec 15
I always say and write Christmas. I hate it when I see Xmas. I won't buy cards or even decorations if they say Xmas instead of Christmas.
3 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
22 Dec 15
I always say and use Christmas.
3 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
23 Dec 15
@just4him You have a Merry Christmas as well and stay safe.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
26 Dec 15
@fishtiger58 I hope you had a good and safe Christmas.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189838)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Dec 15
I never liked it and always write it out. I'm religious but am respectful.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189838)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Dec 15
@just4him ..And looks rather silly with the x.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (148730)
• Roseburg, Oregon
23 Dec 15
I will always say Merry Christmas. Because that is what you are suppose to say.
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
30 Dec 15
I always felt it was about whatever you celebrated, so if you want to wish me that, and I wish you back a lovely solstice, it was all good. We shared what we cared about. Most just use text speak too.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91068)
• United States
23 Dec 15
I think a lot of people just put the x cause it's quicker than writing out the whole word. Me, I'm a Christmas person so I say Merry Christmas
1 person likes this
@innertalks (23739)
• Australia
22 Dec 15
My old dad used to get upset with people that did this too, removing Christ from Christmas.
Actually I have been guilty of using Xmas to some people, especially when I send a text message to them, and abbreviate it like that.
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
23 Dec 15
I've tried texting, but I find it very hard, so rarely do it. I prefer talking to people.
@innertalks (23739)
• Australia
22 Dec 15
Here's some more of my thoughts on this issue.
With the use of words like Christmas, what does it really do to the word if we shorten it to Xmas, for example.
Does it lose any of its meaning or associative linkages, or vibrational essence, or something else like that, or not?
The use of words gives credence to the user in a unique way, because the word defines the user as much as the user is thinking of the word defining what they think that it means, or doesn't mean.
A word carries a certain historical context to it which authenticates it, and any shortage of that word cuts this connection to shreds, and allows for some extra attached thoughts to be now linked to this word in other people’s minds, other than which were originally being pictured, or represented, by the original word.
Others might think that we mean something else, other than which the original word meant, for example.
It is perhaps always better to stick with the original word, that is if you want the real meaning and spirit of the word to be given with the word, and not cut off by an inferior expression of it, cut down to size, like it perhaps is within Xmas.
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
23 Dec 15
@innertalks Lots of food for thought.
1 person likes this
