Phrases beginning with “x” and regarding the Christmas vacation are unusual in fashionable English. The letter “x” itself holds symbolic significance in Christian custom, representing the Greek letter Chi, an abbreviation for Christ. Whereas “Xmas” is usually used as a shorthand for Christmas, it stems from this abbreviation and never a real phrase starting with “x” particular to the vacation.
The usage of “Xmas” might be traced again to the sixteenth century. Whereas typically perceived as secularizing the vacation, its roots lie in spiritual custom. The apply of abbreviating Christ utilizing “X” has a protracted historical past in spiritual texts and iconography. Understanding this historical past can present useful context for the utilization of “X” in a Christmas context.