'Xmas' or 'Christmas'?

[Skebo32]

As somebody who hates Americanisms with a passion I caught myself out a couple of days ago saying Xmas instead of Christmas. I wondered What do other ABers think about this?

[owdhamer]

Xmas is blasphemy

[ABerrant]

Xmas is not an Americanism.

[whiskeryron]

Personally I think you are very naughty & you need to write out 1,000 times '' I must always use the Queen's English''.

WR.

[doctordb]

'Happy holidays'

[Skebo32]

I'm not religious myself but I've heard other people say that.

[plautus]

As they are both pronounced the same I can't see your confusion. It is certainly not pronounced "Exmas". It is not an Americanism; the symbol X is widely used by theologians as shorthand for "Christ", especially when taking notes in lectures, so in effect there is no difference in meaning and no disrespect.

[BlueToffee]

Sometimes write xmas, but always say Christmas.

[starone]

I am not a believer but have always found this abbreviation obnoxious. However, I believe it is only meant to be an abbreviation when written and not a spoken one. Sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

[doctordb]

Happy 'chrimbo'

[Tilly2]

Merry Xmas doesn't look right does it?

[maggiebee]

Think we should keep the CHRIST in Christmas

[plautus]

I have far more objection to "Crimbo" than Xmas.

[starone]

Chrimbo is horrible too, even more so in fact. Where on earth did a word like that come from. If Christians are going to celebrate the birth of Jesus then keep it as it should be.

[Skebo32]

OK so I just found out 'x' in Greek alphabet is 'Christos', which would explain the substitution for "Christ".

[MarkRae]

It always make me laugh when "Christians" think that Xmas is blasphemous, disrespectful or whatever and just furthers to reinforce my opinion that the vast majority of people who claim to follow the Christian religion really know next to nothing about it...

[excelsior-1]

I remember margot leadbetter .... yuletide felicitations

[plautus]

From a practical point of view, why write six letters where one will do? As I have said, christian theologians must have to write the word "Christ" many thousands of times, so came to adopt the X (really the Greek letter Chi, initial of Christos). At some point in the past this tradition has spilled out of thee theological colleges and into the public domain.

[THECORBYLOON]

The word "Xmas" has been in use for a couple of centuries at least and the use of "X" for Christ is about a thousand years old.

[Skebo32]

Good points Plautus - In my ignorance I thought 'Xmas' was meant to be pronounced as such.

[Skebo32]

Maybe I am just over-sensitive to the whole P.C. agenda where we have to say things like "Happy Holidays" etc. to avoid upsetting others.