In my town, a reporter published the headline “XMAS COMES EARLY.” This led to backlash from the community with some readers saying that the paper was attempting to “take Christ out of Christmas.” Following this misunderstanding, the proprietor of the paper published an opinion piece vowing to never take Christ out of Christmas.
Let me say, first, that one does need to be careful with their language. As someone who writes and speaks frequently, I have had my moments when my good intentions were misread or misinterpreted by my audience. So, I can understand why some would be upset by the headline, even if I do not agree with their response to it.
This short article is not to intended to make any comment on the decision to “fix” the headline for the online article or to agree or disagree with the opinion piece. Instead, it is to educate the reader on the history of the term “Xmas” so that such confusion can be avoided in the future should, and when, it happens again.
The manuscripts from which we get our Bibles as protestants come from three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The Old Testament (or Hebrew Scriptures) is primarily written in Hebrew while the New Testament is written in Greek.
When the scholars translate the Bible, they have a few options: translation and transliteration. From English to Spanish, one may translate abuela from grandma, but they would transliterate computer to computadora. When translating Greek to English, there are many of these transliterations. For example, the word βαπτίζω (baptizō) becomes baptize and Χριστός (Christos) becomes Christ.
Like Xmas, the word Christmas itself is an abbreviation. It is a shortened form of “Christ’s Mass.” The term “mass” is not used all too often in protestant circles, but it simply means worship service. Specifically, it is a Eucharistic liturgical service or, in other words, a service in which the Lord’s Supper or communion is observed.
Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, the first letter of which is the Greek letter Chi which looks like a capital ‘X.’ Thus, Christmas has been shortened to Xmas for several hundred years, with the X abbreviating, not replacing or taking away, Christ.
The substitution of X for Christ goes back to the days of the Roman Empire where the symbol was employed in architecture and on the shields of Constantine’s soldiers. This symbol is called the Chi Rho symbol and is pictured below.
“Xmas” may make some Christians uneasy. It also may not be wise to use given the widespread ignorance of its history, but it is not inherently wrong and doesn’t necessarily mean the one employing it is attempting to take Christ out of Christmas. While that may not always be the case, it is best to give others the benefit of the doubt unless evidence to the contrary is presented.
At the end of the day, this is a lesson for all of us to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and to be courteous and humble in every circumstance. It is also a lesson in using instances like these as an opportunity for education. In times of misunderstanding, our fight or flight instinct kicks in, but we can look for an alternative option: educate or be open to education.
Happy Xmas, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays from a proud Xian.
Brother Daniel, symbols are the way those that are unbelievers, those that reject
the Way of Christ and His Gospel, and those that belong to the occult, secret societies that run this world’s governments, corporations, media, and educational and religious organizations communicate; symbols hidden in their logos, symbols hidden in the words they use, the numbers they use, etc..
Everything is corrupted in this world so the letter that to us is X, to the occultist is the symbol X.
The symbol X does not mean Christ to them; the symbol X is used in the occult world
and its meaning is satanic, e.g., X-rated movies, XXX being the most satanic, XBox,
XM radio, the symbol X used in rock, rap, new age album covers and art The symbol X is quite commonly used by satanists and is one of the symbols that they use to communicate among themselves, e.g., “When Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald’s little 2 year old daughter, Kristen, was murdered by a satanic cult in 1970 at their home in Fort Bragg, NC, the killer had carved a huge “X” in the middle of her chest. (see http://educate-yourself.org/tg/ )”.
Your home paper that wrote as the headline “Xmas Comes Early” is most certainly sending a message to others in your hometown that understand the symbol X and its meaning.
There is much written in their books about the occult symbol X and if we don’t know our enemy, their symbols, and the way that they communicate, etc., we will be destroyed for our lack of knowledge. Also, there is a reason that the holiday known as Christ-mass was outlawed in the beginning days of the formation of the USA, and was outlawed in the USA until 1861, until ‘they’ got the law repealed. Most Believers in the Way of Christ, Christians did not celebrate the holiday Christ-mass for many decades afterwards, unlike now, where even Xmas is unknowingly celebrated by Believers. There has been much research done, for hundreds of years, and books published, exposing the symbols we now see all around us, and even wear on our clothes. Hopefully I did not say anything insulting to you, and I almost didn’t comment, but hopefully this helps in some small way. May GOD Bless you and keep you protected in Christ Jesus’ Holy and Powerful Name..
XOXOxo…kisses and hugs to you, your wife, and your little one! 🙂