Xmas 2016

[goodiez2good11]

How will this Xmas holiday affect you this year financially? Have you prepared?

[linderlizzie]

Did you use the term Xmas for a reason?  Maybe more people would reply if you used the term that celebrates the person it's named for. You know; Christ. I see no reason for that particular abbreviation.

Sorry. But that term affects me the same way when people can't say "Merry Christmas" and opt for "Happy Holidays" instead.

[lvstephanie]

Did you use the term Xmas for a reason?  Maybe more people would reply if you used the term that celebrates the person it's named for. You know; Christ. I see no reason for that particular abbreviation.

Sorry. But that term affects me the same way when people can't say "Merry Christmas" and opt for "Happy Holidays" instead.

The "X" comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Χριστός, which in English is "Christ".

The X used to abbreviate Christ is a common religious symbol. It is also found in the Christian symbol Chi-Rho, the 1st 2 Greek letters in Christ (see picture below). It has long been used in Christiandom, well before the secular attempt to remove any religious connotation to the season (as in "Season's Greetings" or "Happy Holidays" (even though the term "holiday" is actually religious in nature, too, being a portmanteau of the words "holy" and "day")). Thus the use of the X is not like a name placeholder as in signing on the X, but rather is a valid abbreviation for Christ used by churches dating back to even the 16th century.

[bigedshult]

why do people say x mast  in said of Christmas which is what w are celebrating at this time of the year the birth of Christ our saver and the lord

[linderlizzie]

Did you use the term Xmas for a reason?  Maybe more people would reply if you used the term that celebrates the person it's named for. You know; Christ. I see no reason for that particular abbreviation.

Sorry. But that term affects me the same way when people can't say "Merry Christmas" and opt for "Happy Holidays" instead.

The "X" comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Χριστός, which in English is "Christ".

The X used to abbreviate Christ is a common religious symbol. It is also found in the Christian symbol Chi-Rho, the 1st 2 Greek letters in Christ (see picture below). It has long been used in Christiandom, well before the secular attempt to remove any religious connotation to the season (as in "Season's Greetings" or "Happy Holidays" (even though the term "holiday" is actually religious in nature, too, being a portmanteau of the words "holy" and "day")). Thus the use of the X is not like a name placeholder as in signing on the X, but rather is a valid abbreviation for Christ used by churches dating back to even the 16th century.

The facts you quoted may be true, and there may be some truth to why the "X" is being used. But the way this country is erasing history, marginalizing Christians and never mentioning much about Christ at Christmastime, it speaks more to my point.

I truly don't think that suddenly they decided to use a Greek symbol for Christ because all of us brilliant people in the United States knew right off the bat what that symbolized. As for them having long used the term, I highly contest that since I've been living a long time and it was not widely used as far as I know until recently.

And using happy holidays doesn't make anyone more cognizant of the fact that it's a holy day. I believe no one wants to offend anyone and/or they just don't want to recognize the reason for the season. We all do it to some extent with all the hoopla at Christmas. To our detriment.

I appreciate your researching the word, and I may be all wet with my opinion, but I still feel that it's a deliberate attempt to make Christmas all about bells and whistles and nothing truly meaningful.

BTW, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.

[paints]

How will this Xmas holiday affect you this year financially? Have you prepared?

Hi, and thanks for asking.
I don't worry about  Xmas, or Christmas, mainly because I don't celebrate either. 
Once I figured out that, in this country at least, it's main focus is for merchants to sell more stuff that I don't need, I decided to keep my money and not participate.

[lvstephanie]

Although the usage of Xmas does have a long history, I think part of the reason why you are seeing its usage more often is due in part to what paints was talking about... Commercialism. Although businesses aren't trying to slight Christians, they are more focused upon the "almighty dollar". Whether used in a headline (like in a 1922 Ladies Home Journal cover as shown below) or in Christmas cards, addition letters in typeface costs more money. Hence you'll often see common abbreviations used in less formal writing, whatever the word happens to be, and in this case the use of the abbv. of Xmas.

[paints]

https://antiquitynow.org/2013/12/12/the-pagan-origins-of-christmas/
http://www.livescience.com/25779-christmas-traditions-history-paganism.html

The early Christians didn't celebrate the birth of Christ.  They did, however celebrate all sorts of winter festivals.

[hitch0403]

Very true Paints.12/25 NOWHERES mentioned in bible.Yet we know every yr the date of Passover because God wanted us to memorialize Jesus death because of what it means to mankind.

He told the 11 apostels to "keep doing this in rememberance of him the night he was about to die.In 2017 it falls on 4/11.

When holidays are celebrated stemming from false gods the bible is clear how Jehovah feels about them.

Isaiah 42:8

I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols.

[yaayme]

Well, I had to save a little at a time for months in advance to affords gifts, like I do every year.

[amyDAST]

I always start off so excited for the holidays then after buying presents for everyone I always get in a bind and secretly cannot wait for the holidays to be over!

[heypeg]

I try to make sure that I have the money for Christmas.

[jushigi]

I saved up enough money to afford gifts for my best friends and family! Happy holidays everyone 

[madeara]

I don't think it will much.  I try to shop for sales and deals.

[king4cash]

My spending power is weak this year, so I mainly gave small gift cards.........