Comments on: Arlington County Holiday Closures

By: drax

drax — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:32:39 +0000

Nope. Most people don’t use it at all today except as an abbreviation whose origin they don’t know. Not many Christian scholars out there writing things by hand, in Greek or English. Those who did often used Xmas alone, without the rho.

By: drax

drax — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:30:54 +0000

Because most people don’t know about the Jewish calendar, and most Jews don’t care. But if you complain enough, maybe they’ll stop. And complaining is what you do best.

By: janedough

janedough — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:23:57 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua_lCH4wK4g&feature=youtube_gdata_player

By: DCBuff

DCBuff — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:49:24 +0000

Ah, I see, you are a “Christian scholar” among your many talents. Then you must know that Christains do not simply use the chi alone, but with the letter rho. Merry Christmas.

By: novasteve

novasteve — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:42:19 +0000

@ Drax: But the same would apply to jews on new years. Religious, devout jews don’t really recognize the gregorian calendar or whatever it’s called. It’s the year 5774 or whatever, and their new years is on Rosh Hashanah. So why aren’t people afraid of saying happy new years too?

By: drax

drax — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:24:52 +0000

P.P.S.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Xmas

X·mas (krsms, ksms)
n.
Christmas.
[From X, the Greek letter chi, first letter of Greek Khrstos, Christ; see Christ.]
Usage Note: Xmas has been used for hundreds of years in religious writing, where the X represents a Greek chi, the first letter of , “Christ.” In this use it is parallel to other forms like Xtian, “Christian.” But people unaware of the Greek origin of this X often mistakenly interpret Xmas as an informal shortening pronounced (ksms). Many therefore frown upon the term Xmas because it seems to them a commercial convenience that omits Christ from Christmas.

By: drax

drax — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:22:56 +0000

P.S.:

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/xmasabbr.asp

‘Xmas’ is a modern, disrespectful abbreviation of the word ‘Christmas.’

Status: FALSE

By: drax

drax — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:20:46 +0000

But the second explanation has actual historical proof, Josh. And it’s not annoying at all if you know that explanation.

By: Captain_Obvious

Captain_Obvious — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:11:05 +0000

its short for CHRISTMAS, but you knew that…you’re a smart person, right ?

By: Josh S

Josh S — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 20:52:38 +0000

We’ve actually had two interesting explanations here just in the last couple of weeks.

First, someone put forth that it was retailers who started using the “X” to get around “Christ” which reminds people of the religious origins of the holiday and may somehow dampen enthusiasm to turn it into a commercialized consumption frenzy.

Second, someone said that X is the Greek letter for Chi, which is the first letter in Christ’s name when you spell it in Greek. Or something like that. So it’s really just short for Christmas.

I tend to believe the first explanation more.

Either way – yeah, calling it Xmas is annoying.