Why Xmas Isn't Disrespectful: The Ancient Greek Origin

Every December, the abbreviation "Xmas" sparks debate. Some see it as a secular assault on Christmas, stripping Christ from the holiday. But here's the twist: using "X" for Christ is actually a sacred Christian tradition that's over a thousand years old.

The X in Xmas isn't the English letter X at all. It's the Greek letter chi (Χ), which looks identical to our X. Chi is the first letter of Χριστος (Christos), the Greek word for Christ. Early Christians wrote the New Testament in Greek, making this connection fundamental to Christian history.

The Chi-Rho: Christianity's Oldest Monogram

Long before Xmas, there was the Chi-Rho (☧)—one of Christianity's earliest symbols. Created by superimposing the first two Greek letters of Christos (Χ and Ρ), it appeared in churches, tombs, and manuscripts across the Roman Empire. Emperor Constantine the Great famously used it on military standards after his reported vision before the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD.

When Christianity was illegal in Rome, believers used the Chi-Rho as a covert identifier. It marked secret worship spaces and identified fellow Christians. Far from erasing Christ, the X was a lifeline of faith under persecution.

A Thousand-Year Paper Trail

The abbreviation has serious historical credentials:

• The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle used it as early as 1021 AD
• An earlier form, "X'temmas," appeared in 1551
• Around 1100, scribes wrote "Xp̄es mæsse" (the "p" represents rho, the second Greek letter)
• The Oxford English Dictionary cites X- or Xp- abbreviations for Christ dating to 1485

Medieval monks, painstakingly copying manuscripts by hand, used these abbreviations to save time, parchment, and ink. In an era when writing materials were expensive and labor-intensive, shorthand was practical—not disrespectful.

Why the Confusion?

The modern misconception likely stems from unfamiliarity with Greek and Christian history. To someone who doesn't know the origin, "Xmas" looks like a lazy commercial abbreviation—especially when surrounded by "X-tra savings" and "X-treme deals" in holiday advertising.

Additionally, the 20th century saw increased use of Xmas in advertising and headlines, where brevity mattered. This commercial context made it seem secular, even though the abbreviation itself predates modern capitalism by centuries.

Still Respectful Today?

While Xmas has ancient sacred roots, context matters. Using it in scholarly work, religious texts, or casual writing among those who understand its origin? Perfectly fine. Slapping it on discount store signs to save space? Technically defensible, but it's understandable why some find it tacky.

The real issue isn't the abbreviation itself—it's whether it's used with awareness of its meaning. When you write Xmas knowing that X represents Christ in Greek, you're participating in a tradition older than the English language itself. That's not irreligious. That's history.