The "The Dreaded Four-Letter Word" Story

It was an ordinary day.  With Christmas coming soon my wife asked me to make a Christmas list so she could pass it along to our kids when they asked.  Grabbed a piece of paper and pen and sat down to begin my list.  Across the top I wrote "Xmas List".  Then I thought about it and decided to start over with a new piece and write "Christmas List" instead.  

Ladies Home Journal Advertisement from 1950s.

How do you feel about using the X instead of writing out the word Christmas?  I'm sure there are many who frown upon using just the X, but you know there really isn't anything wrong with that, except maybe being "politically correct" in today's society.  First, you have to realize that using "X" wasn't made up by secular heathens who wanted "Christ" out of Christmas.  It is, and has been since the 16th century, a common abbreviation.  Early manuscripts of the Greek New Testament used "X" as an abbreviation for Christ and helped manuscript writers fit more words on a page which reduced the time and cost of producing the texts.  

Chi Rho - 1st 2 letters of the Greek Alphabet

The "X" is also reported to be the Greek letter "chi" and has been used since the first century for the name of Christ.  In 1436 Johannes Gutenberg began work on his printing press and in four years was printing with movable type (individual pieces of metal) and the abbreviation "Xmas" became an acceptable way of printing Christmas.  In the late 1800s Xmas appeared on postage stamps and postcards as well as advertising.  I think that today the abbreviation is avoided whenever possible since it appears in TV commercials and newspaper ads and is starting to be associated with the commercialization of Christmas.  

Chi Rho on the roof of the Basilica St. John's, Rome

Some Christians now take offense every time they see it and consider it distasteful.  If they only knew the real truth they might have a different opinion on the use of Xmas.  The Catholic Church has no formal policy on "Xmas", according to the bishop of Harrisburg, PA, but they still would prefer that the spelling of Christmas with Christ in it.  

Early Christmas Card

My church, St. James Episcopal, uses the Chi Rho symbol, or the X and P intertwined, in our services as well as throughout the church proper.  Chi Rho are the first two Greek letters of the word Christ.  For printing purposes the P was dropped, hence Xmas developed.  To many people, no matter what you tell them, still consider the use of Xmas as a dirty four-letter word.  So, instead of getting so upset when you see the use of Xmas, let it remind you of the person that the X really stands for, Jesus Christ.  Now, since I have solved that problem, I have to get busy on why they are using Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas and why Santa is being emphasized more that Jesus on his birthday.  It was another extraordiary day in the life of an ordinary guy.