What Does the ‘X’ Stand for in ‘Xmas’?
Every December there's criticism about the abbreviation "Xmas," and marketers get a lot of the blame for it. But just what does the "X" stand for? Do you know? 🤔
Gen X
Greek letter “chi”
In excelsis Deo
Nothing, it’s a shortcut
The correct answer is option two, “Greek letter ‘chi.’” Although many people presume “Xmas” is a casual abbreviation created by marketers, this spelling has, in fact, been used for centuries, and the criticism of it is really unfounded. The "X" in “Xmas” stands for the Greek letter “chi,” which is the first letter in the word "Christos," or, in English, "Christ," and “X” was used as an abbreviation like that by scribes for centuries. But even though the spelling “Xmas” has a long and legitimate history, it's best not to use it in formal writing. The word can be offensive to people because of its confused association with marketing and the commercialization of the religious holiday.