Thought for the Week
People often assume that the term “Xmas” is an attempt to take “Christ” out of Christmas. But did you know that:
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The term Xmas dates all the way back to the Middle Ages.
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X is an abbreviation for Christ (it’s the first letter of Christos, Χριστός in the Greek).
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X is a traditional symbol of the cross.
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By using Xmas instead of Christmas, theologians were reminding us not just that God’s son came to earth, but why he did.
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In other words, the term reviled by so many for taking Christ out of Christmas was originally intended to keep him in it!
P.S. Ministers were historically referred to as churchmen, or simply Xmen! (No, they don’t have superpowers. But God does. I mean, dude, there was this one time when God… Oh, just read the book.)
I love this. Especially the P.S.
Merry Christmas, sis.
XOXOXO
Informative, entertaining, and always positive. I love it, Mitch!
Thanks, David!
Learned something new from you again, Mitch! Thanks as always. ✖
My pleasure, Gail.
Great information here, Mitch. Many people judge the past using a yardstick from the present. Good to know the history. God bless!
Thanks Mitch. Good reminder. Criticism from ignorance is pretty standard – both from defenders and opponents of faith.
Learning all kinds of things – this is great! And that P.S. is epic. 😃
;>)
Oh wow. Who knew?!
Awesome post, Mitch! Proud to be counted as one of God’s X-men! Also proud to be part of a tradition that also recognizes Xwomen! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Thank you, sir, and a Merry Christmas to you and yours as well!
Well, thank you from all us Xwomen, brother!
I never knew this. Thank you for straightening us out on the “X”, Mitch.
My pleasure, Kellye.
Blessed Xmas, Mitch! Yes, just read The Book!
Shhh, no plot spoilers, please! ;>)
I am giving you a sideways, skeptical glance… however, if this is true (and I have no reason to doubt you), then this is good, interesting news – thanks!
When I worked for the old (digest-sized) TV Guide, “Xmas” was forbidden unless it was an exact title of the program or in our truncated 15- and 8-character titles, which only appeared – depending on program length – in the grids. (Too many readers misconstrued the X as a slight.)
Understandable, Jeff. Publications have to be sensitive to people’s impressions, and not just facts.
What Linda Lee said. 😀
Hi Mitch,
X marks the spot for sure. Good to know these facts. I feel better about it.
In Christ,
Gary
Wait till I tell my pastor that he is an X-MAN!!! The kids will love it!
And as for super-powers, well, we DO deal in the supernatural. 😉
❤️&🙏, c.a.
Excellent as always 👌
Thank you, Ana.
Great post, Mitch!
Thanks, Bruce!
Wonderful post! Especially the last line!! I’m still chuckling!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love these sort of things. The Christmas festival is a mixed of all sort of beliefs and cultures rolled into one.
I did not know this! I’ll admit I was never offended but the term X-mas, because I just assumed it was an abbreviation and not a slam against religion. But who knew it was actually a religious term to begin with? Thanks for clarifying!
My pleasure, Ann. I was surprised when I first read up on it too.
Yeah, just read the book, and remember that it’s all real because God doesn’t need CGI.
;>) GGI (God Generated Images). Way higher tech.
Mitch: Thanks for the Xplanation. I have also wondered if it is a Catholic derivative from the early 4th century. Christ Mass.
Norm
Could be, Norm. Apparently, the earliest known use of the term ‘Xmas’ was in the late middle ages, but the use of X as symbol for Christ goes much further back.
Shared this on our ministry’s Twitter. The title got me good!
Oh wow! This was full of information… Good one Mitch 👍🏻
Thank you, Sushmita.
I was one of those people that thought this was an attempt to take Christ out of Christmas and found this information fascinating the first time a saw it a year or so ago, not sure if it was from one of your posts or not, Mitch. I think it is funny that many who use the term Xmas think that is what they are doing. Merry Christmas/Xmas to you and yours.
I first published this five years ago. Thank you, Carla, and a Merry Christmas/Xmas to you and yours as well!
Intriguing! Thanks, Mitch, and I wish you and your family a very merry and blessed Christmas.
Likewise, Nancy.