Is it wrong to say Xmas?

— Christmas is also known on paper as XMAS. But some people just don't agree with the spelling of the holiday. They believe it takes the Christ out of Christmas, saying it's a modern and disrespectful abbreviation that focuses on the commercialization of this Christian holiday.
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Why is it called Xmas instead of Christmas?

The "X" comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Christós (Greek: Χριστός), which became Christ in English. The suffix -mas is from the Latin-derived Old English word for Mass.
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Is Xmas a word?

But, the history of the word Xmas is actually more respectable—and fascinating—than you might suspect. First of all, the abbreviation predates (by centuries) its use in gaudy advertisements. It was first used in the mid-1500s. X represents the Greek letter chi, the initial letter in the word Χριστός (Chrīstos).
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What is the difference between Xmas and Christmas?

Summary: 1. Christmas or Christmas Day is the holiday which is celebrated by Christians as the birth of Jesus Christ while Xmas is the abbreviation of the word.
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When did Xmas start being used?

Most scholars agree that the first appearance of this abbreviation for Christmas dates to 1021, "when an Anglo-Saxon scribe saved himself space by writing XPmas," reported First Things.
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Is it WRONG to say Xmas?



Is Xmas sacrilegious?

In general, there is nothing sacrilegious about using the term Xmas, even though some people find fault with it. If someone you know does, it might be a good idea to gift them with a Greek language book as their present for this year's holiday.
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Is Xmas blasphemous?

Christians should use Christ's name as much as possible, but “Xmas” is not inherently a blasphemous term. Because of the use of “Xmas”, some Christians get bent out of shape when people take Jesus' name out of the holiday. Evangelist Franklin Graham even called the term “a war against the name of Jesus Christ.”
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Why not use Xmas instead of Christmas?

In the early days of the Christian church, Christians used the letter X as a secret symbol to indicate their membership in the church to others. If you know the Greek meaning of X, Xmas and Christmas essentially mean the same thing: Christ + mas = Christmas.
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Who started Xmas?

The first recorded incidence of Christmas being celebrated actually dates all the way back to the Roman Empire in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine – so technically the Romans invented it, although there's no specific person who is credited with having done so.
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Is the abbreviation Xmas offensive?

The letter chi in the Greek alphabet is symbolized by an X and translates to "ch." So along with the Greek letter rho for "r", the term Xmas was used to refer to the birth of Jesus as an informed abbreviation, not an offensive one.
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What is the meaning of Merry Xmas?

The expression to “Be or make merry” translates to make joy or be joyful. It generally is used to express good cheer and being in a state of content. When people use “Merry Christmas” they are expressing their desire for the other person to be joyful and have a wonderful holiday season.
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Are Christmas trees offensive?

While a decorated tree may have religious connotations for some people, the U.S. Supreme Court has determined that a Christmas tree is generally a secular nonreligious symbol. This view was also adopted by the EEOC. Thus, employers may include Christmas trees among their decorations even if an employee objects.
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Did Christians Steal Christmas?

So Christians may have stolen the date from the pagans, or the pagans might have tried to ride the coattails of Jesus' popularity as the Son of God to worship the Sun God. Either way, we don't really know who claimed the date first. We don't know who stole Christmas.
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When was Jesus actually born?

The date of birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical reference, but most biblical scholars assume a year of birth between 6 and 4 BC.
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Was Christmas illegal in the US?

Though Christmas was not as widely celebrated in the early 1800s, it was not illegal throughout the country. However, one colony did make it illegal to celebrate Christmas in 1659.
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Should we use Xmas?

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Christmas is also known on paper as XMAS. But some people just don't agree with the spelling of the holiday. They believe it takes the Christ out of Christmas, saying it's a modern and disrespectful abbreviation that focuses on the commercialization of this Christian holiday.
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What does Advent literally mean?

The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming,” which is a translation of the Greek word parousia.
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What does Xmas mean to Catholics?

What we mean is this – rather than focus on the birth of an infant Jesus Christ, let us think about Christmas as God being born into the world into the fully human form of Jesus Christ. Let us view Christmas as God becoming man without diminishing His divine nature.
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Is Xmas pagan?

Now, as Christmas applies to the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas is decidedly not pagan. However, there are some differences of opinion when it comes to the selection of day of celebration. On the Roman calendar, December 25 was the date of the winter solstice (December 21 on the modern calendar).
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Is Christmas in the Bible?

Christmas is on Dec. 25, but it wasn't always. Dec. 25 is not the date mentioned in the Bible as the day of Jesus's birth; the Bible is actually silent on the day or the time of year when Mary was said to have given birth to him in Bethlehem.
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Can teachers say Merry Christmas?

Religion can (and should) be a class subject — but not proselytized — in public schools, sacred music can be played in schools under certain circumstances, and schools can't bar teachers or students from saying “Merry Christmas” to each other.
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Why was Christmas banned in America?

"Shocking as it sounds, followers of Jesus Christ in both America and England helped pass laws making it illegal to observe Christmas, believing it was an insult to God to honor a day associated with ancient paganism," according to "Shocked by the Bible" (Thomas Nelson Inc, 2008).
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Can you say Christmas in school?

Religious music can be played in public schools when the overall focus of the activity is not religious. Anybody who wants to say “Merry Christmas” is legally permitted to do so.
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What can I say instead of Merry Christmas?

Other Ways of Saying “Merry Christmas”
  • As always, what a blessing you are!
  • Celebrate this holiday with a lot of fun, excitement, and surprises.
  • Glad tidings to your jolly soul.
  • Enjoy some holiday magic on me.
  • Have a cuddly Christmas.
  • Have your best Christmas ever!
  • Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
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