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Original poster

To be annoyed by the word Xmas?

37 replies

Alisonjayne8 · 22/12/2025 18:35

That's it really, whenever I read it in a thread, it winds me up. I prefer christmas, Xmas sounds wrong when speaking it out loud.

OP posts:
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Lurkingandlearning · 23/12/2025 08:36

I love learning new things on MN such as the origin of “Xmas”.

And I’m really surprised you have heard people say it out loud because I don’t think I ever heard someone say it.

Jc2001 · 23/12/2025 08:17

cinquanta · 22/12/2025 18:36

It’s supposed to be just a written abbreviation but pronounced Christmas.

Exactly.

Abittrumpy · 23/12/2025 07:02

SeaShellsSanctuary1 · 23/12/2025 06:50

Oh the irony 😁😁

Show quote history

@SeaShellsSanctuary1 clearly relates to feeling “wound up” … by a lot in life! 😆

SeaShellsSanctuary1 · 23/12/2025 06:50

Abittrumpy · 22/12/2025 19:01

What must it be like, being someone who has an issue with something like this?? I really don’t want to ever find out

Oh the irony 😁😁

OttersMayHaveShifted · 23/12/2025 06:33

It's an abbreviation - you don't say it that way! I mean... you wouldn't pronounce 'etc' the way it's written, would you?

PersephoneParlormaid · 23/12/2025 06:33

But you don’t say Xmas, I don’t get it.

GKG1 · 23/12/2025 06:32

Alisonjayne8 · 22/12/2025 18:45

Ah, I did not know that, you learn something new every day.

That’s it, now you know. No one says ‘x-mas’ out loud like they’d say ‘x-ray’. It’s just quicker than writing out the full word. I can imagine if you are saying ‘x-mas’ in your head that is annoying. Just see it and know it means Christmas.

Abittrumpy · 23/12/2025 06:30

Sartre · 23/12/2025 06:29

I don’t mind it, it’s definitely preferable to Crimbo!

And a merry crimbo to you @Sartre !

Sartre · 23/12/2025 06:29

I don’t mind it, it’s definitely preferable to Crimbo!

Abittrumpy · 23/12/2025 06:24

Netcurtainnelly · 22/12/2025 20:45

Just say Shitmas, that's what it is.

to you!

I often say… Crimbo!

DappledThings · 22/12/2025 21:43

Pieceofpurplesky · 22/12/2025 20:36

I worked in a C of E school and Xmas was banned! This is years ago.

Another institution ignorant of what the X in Xmas means then.

Netcurtainnelly · 22/12/2025 20:45

Just say Shitmas, that's what it is.

AgnesMcDoo · 22/12/2025 20:43

Merry Xmas Op 😆

AffableApple · 22/12/2025 20:42

Alisonjayne8 · 22/12/2025 20:36

Yes, i think that's what I was thinking, that it was modern, and I prefer the "old way".

Edited
Show quote history

I mean, it was popularised by Constantine the Great in the early 4th century. That's too modern for you?

Pieceofpurplesky · 22/12/2025 20:36

I worked in a C of E school and Xmas was banned! This is years ago.

Original poster
Alisonjayne8 · 22/12/2025 20:36

ChristmasHug · 22/12/2025 19:04

The X part is the Greek letter chi, which is a similar shape to the letter X.

Its not a modern shortening if that's why you don't like it..

Yes, i think that's what I was thinking, that it was modern, and I prefer the "old way".

OP posts:
MerryAndBrightLaLaLa · 22/12/2025 20:03

It’s quicker to type though innit

MrsTerryPratchett · 22/12/2025 19:50

HippopotamusForChristmas · 22/12/2025 19:43

Me too, it's lazy

LOL.

I like laziness. It brought us marvels like the washing machine and paper money. Excel sheets and computers. The wheel and domesticated animals. Without laziness we’d all be pounding tubers in the Rift Valley. Actually, pounding involves tools. We’d be chewing raw tubers in the Rift Valley.

If something does the exact same job, but more easily, doing it the other way to avoid ‘laziness’ is just wasted effort. I’d rather be efficient!

HippopotamusForChristmas · 22/12/2025 19:43

Me too, it's lazy

StripyHorse · 22/12/2025 19:37

Goldeh · 22/12/2025 18:39

X has been used for centuries as shorthand for Christ, as has the written word Xmas but it's still pronounced Christmas.

I remember my GCSE RE teacher telling us this - and that we could use Xians in our notes instead of Christians. This was a Catholic school BTW. For that reason it is not something I will get hung up about.

XenoBitch · 22/12/2025 19:36

I can't be arsed to type out the whole word.
MN is full of shortened things anyway.

TinselTitts · 22/12/2025 19:34

Surely no more annoying than reading about all the DD, DH, DP, DS, DB, MIL, FIL, PIL, BIL, SIL, DC, SC and even DDog and Dcat? 😁

DedododoDedadada · 22/12/2025 19:30

I don't like it but wouldn't get wound up about it.

Happyjoe · 22/12/2025 19:27

SlowSloths · 22/12/2025 19:20

Could be worse, my mum uses the world 'Chrimble' 🤢

Just checked her messages, its actually Crimble. Dropping the 'h'.

Edited

Yep, used it for years in our family too! Crimble. I quite like it. But then I will write xmas too, quicker.

SlowSloths · 22/12/2025 19:20

Could be worse, my mum uses the world 'Chrimble' 🤢

Just checked her messages, its actually Crimble. Dropping the 'h'.

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