Where did X-Mas come from?

Author Topic: Where did X-Mas come from?  (Read 2366 times)

Offline Cannibal94

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Where did X-Mas come from?
« on: December 28, 2005 - 01:53:25 PM »
I have always wondered why some people write X-Mas instead of Christmas.  Why would they put an X in for Christ?  Always has bugged me.  Anyone know why this started?  :dunno:




Offline Cannibal94

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2005 - 02:04:07 PM »

Well...after I posted, I found a couple of articles on this sort of thing.  Here they are:


http://phrogz.net/nodes/xmas.asp


http://www.sierratimes.com/05/12/22/24_167_175_119_84234.htm


Offline CHARGER_FAN

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2005 - 03:32:08 PM »
That 2nd one is quite the rant. :sly:

Actually, I thought it was something more internet related... :biggrin:


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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2005 - 03:33:58 PM »
 Charger Fan---Great avatar!  :thumbsup:  Kinda looks like something built by this guy--  www.weberprecision.com       :cooldancing:  .....Oldschool

Offline CHARGER_FAN

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2005 - 04:05:38 PM »
Charger Fan---Great avatar!  :thumbsup:  Kinda looks like something built by this guy--  www.weberprecision.com       :cooldancing:  .....Oldschool

Man I'd love to be there to see that little engine run! :grinyes: That thing's pretty impressive.

In case you haven't seen them before, here's a couple larger pics of the Hemi Puppy. :biggrin:



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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2005 - 04:16:49 PM »
 Charger Fan---That's great!  Any special intructions concerning the care and feeding of the Hemi Puppy?  What does it eat?   Oldschool

Offline CHARGER_FAN

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2005 - 04:26:23 PM »
Charger Fan---That's great!  Any special intructions concerning the care and feeding of the Hemi Puppy?  What does it eat?   Oldschool
Kibbles-n-Nitro  :grinyes: :burnout:

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Offline A383Cuda

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #7 on: December 29, 2005 - 09:08:39 AM »
It's always bugged me that people use "Xmas" instead of "Christmas". Although, I now understand that X is an abbreviation from Christ. I still don't like the use. I will continue to use Christ in Christmas. Being a realtor I send out Christmas cards every year to all of my contacts and clients. In the past I sent "hoilday cards" that are religiously neutral, so as not to offend anyone. I had decided after sending out this year's, that from now on I will send Christmas cards. My family is very religious and my dad is a deacon at the St Augustine's Cathedral. I don't mean to offend anyone, but at least it won't be offending my family.

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #8 on: December 29, 2005 - 10:39:43 AM »
I always say in almost any situation if someone is "offended", that's their problem not mine.

Offline Pistol Gripper

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #9 on: December 29, 2005 - 11:18:20 AM »
KTO,

I have to agree with you,  I can't remember ever being "offended".  Must be their problem. 

As for the "X" in X-Mas, I'd always heard that it was Greek for Chi.  I can see Christians not wanting to use it.  As for the Pagans who got the holiday hijacked from them in the first place, them, I can see using it.

Anyway, Happy Christma-hanna-kwanza-ramadon,

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Offline Cannibal94

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #10 on: December 29, 2005 - 12:10:26 PM »
What I think is funny is that everyone says "Happy Holidays" instead to be diverse and not to offend.  Well.....funny thing...........Holiday comes from two words....HOLY DAY!!!   :lol: Stupid people......... :screwy:

Offline Killer_Mopar

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #11 on: December 29, 2005 - 12:12:13 PM »
Directly from snopes:

"The abbreviation of 'Xmas' for 'Christmas' is neither modern nor disrespectful. The notion that it is a new and vulgar representation of the word 'Christmas' seems to stem from the erroneous belief that the letter 'X' is used to stand for the word 'Christ' because of its resemblance to a cross, or that the abbreviation was deliberately concocted "to take the 'Christ' out of Christmas." Actually, this usage is nearly as old as Christianity itself, and its origins lie in the fact that the first letter in the Greek word for 'Christ' is 'chi,' and the Greek letter 'chi' is represented by a symbol similar to the letter 'X' in the modern Roman alphabet. Hence 'Xmas' is indeed perfectly legitimate abbreviation for the word 'Christmas' (just as 'Xian' is also sometimes used as an abbreviation of the word 'Christian')."
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Offline Cannibal94

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2005 - 12:20:41 PM »
hol·i·day (hŏl'ĭ-dā') pronunciation
n.

   1. A day free from work that one may spend at leisure, especially a day on which custom or the law dictates a halting of general business activity to commemorate or celebrate a particular event.
  2. A religious feast day; a holy day.
   3. Chiefly British. A vacation. Often used in the phrase on holiday.

Offline Hopalong

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2005 - 07:52:34 PM »
I prefer to use Rama-hanna-kwansmas!  Rolls off the tounge, don't it.
{oo/===\oo}

Offline Super Blue 72

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Re: Where did X-Mas come from?
« Reply #14 on: December 29, 2005 - 09:35:58 PM »
Thanks for sharing those links, cannibal94.  I especially agree with the 2nd article.
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