Christmas not Xmas

[ankie4t]

   Christmas   

[dauna]

I prefer "Christmas" to " Xmas", but that's mostly because I'm a bit of a spelling wonk.

[Warhol04]

I say Xmas because it is shorter and because I know that Christmas was shortened to Xmas because of the Greek alphabet letter X.  Why take it so seriously though?  The Christmas holiday we celebrate is based on a Roman holiday tributing Saturn that was filled with gift giving and debauchery.  That was the reason Puritans did not celebrate the holiday.

[nhendrickson]

It depends.  If I'm trying to get a sentiment onto a tiny tag, I may well write Xmas due to lack of space.  I don't think it's a big deal.

Even though I'm a Christian (esoteric), I know that it has become a secular holiday for many people and they are free to celebrate it in that way.  Besides, there are plenty of Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and people of other religions or no religion at all that do not celebrate the holiday.  In fact, some Christians such as Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas or Xmas since they believe it is a pagan custom.  Christmas along with other Christian holidays were grafted onto to the pagan holidays to get them to convert.  So you're really celebrating the Winter Solstice albeit a few days late.

[raven1114]

thank you all.  My original posts said if you agree with me, type out the word Christmas. I didn't ask anyone who doesn't agree to respond at all.  Just wanted to see how many people still like Christmas. 

See the thing is with public message boards you don't actually get to dictate who responds and who doesn't, anyone is free to do so. As several people have said using X in place of Christ is in no way disrespectful and is mearly and abbrivation. I mean do you also get offened when people write Dr. instead of doctor or Mr. instead of mister. It's the same concept. There is also the fact that Christmas itself is based on the Pagan holiday Saturnalia. So perhaps Christians need to get their noses out of the air and learn where their tradtions actually come from and give respect where respect is due.

[WaulML6]

Sorry to upset you.  Was not my intention.  Yes anyone can respond, just thought some would not want to.  I'm not offended, just asking who uses Christ in Christmas.  A simple mistake on my part asking those that do to respond.  Of course, anyone can respond.  Sorry you took offense to my post.  I believe off topic says you can discuss anything and that's what I was trying to do. 

[kjstrukel]

I attended a parochial school for grades 1-8.  It was ingrained in us not to use Xmas (even though "X" means Christ).  If I am texting and trying to be brief, I will use the abbreviation, but I always feel guilty!

[ben50]

Who started all the xmas stuff anyway muslims complaining because they don't know Christ. Wrong..wrong..wrong..foreigners...they will not have Christ, but no one will ever tell me i cant say merry christmas. ha

[nhendrickson]

Who started all the xmas stuff anyway muslims complaining because they don't know Christ. Wrong..wrong..wrong..foreigners...they will not have Christ, but no one will ever tell me i cant say merry christmas. ha

Not everybody who lives in the United States or even North America is a Christian so you cannot say "foreigners", many of whom are Christian or Xtian, are to blame.  Certainly you cannot pin the trend to say "Happy Holidays" to be more inclusive on Muslims alone.  I use this with people I don't know because I simply don't know what their belief system is and I would feel presumptuous to assume it's the same as my own.

[WaulML6]

Well this has caused quite a controversy.  I want to thank all of you for replying.  I've worked in public owning my own businesses for years.  I say Merry Christmas, and on all of my card, I write Merry Christmas.  It is Christmas, no matter how you look at it.  I appreciate your beliefs and input.  On the calendar that denotes national holidays, it says CHRISTMAS.  Please reply with all your inputs and I do appreciate it.

[skrogman]

   Merry Christmas!