I believe it is...

Yes, I uderstand the historical reference of the term..."Christ" was represented as an "X" in greek language and all that...It is valid ONLY for those who do it EXACTLY for that historical reference...Like writing a thesis on the topic...

And anyone who says they do is lying through their teeth...No one in their right mind says to themselves "I think I'll rearrange an English word by removing the first syllable (which happens to refer to the savoir in certain religions) and replace it with a letter that is hardly ever used in today's day and age except in college chapters."...

You'd have to search far and wide to find examples of that being done with other words in today's culture...doing it to just one is illogical...

Also, if one were to consider historical references, then you'd also know that the letter "X" is commonly used as a negative reference, as to "X" something out...

When a teacher grades a test and marks answers wrong with an "X", the intention is not to write "Christ" on the wrong answers...

So the only other logic in removing "Christ" from "Chistmas" is because it (ugh!) makes a nice abbreviation and saves space...

This is stupid, since these same people have not done the same for Ramadan or Hannakuh, which are both words that are LARGER than Christmas...

People who write "Xmas" KNOW that some people will be offended, and by doing so shows that that their logic is "I'd rather save myself from typing THREE extra letters and have people offended than to go through ALL OF THE TROUBLE of that extra click-click-click on my keyboard."...:

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

I'm very well aware of the historical useage of the word 'xmas' myself. But I'm very aware of the fact, that the internet is the main useage of that word today...As a form of netspeak.

Netspeak is simply a form of communication, using shortened words and letter anologies to talk quickly and efficiantly on the internet in chatrooms and chat boards...

I for one, can't see why anyone would put so much negative influence, look for insult, in the useage of netspeak.

I'm going to add what I said in the chatbox...

Netspeak is what you make of it, in my opinion. It's that 'personal interpretation' thingy going on...and if a person is looking to feel insulted, no matter what you do to not insult them, they'll still find something to feel insulted about.

That is the case in my opinion, of those seeing 'xmas' being used and finding it offensive...That they are looking for reasons to be upset about, looking for some sign of 'Christian bashing' to complain about and turn the netspeak useage into an offensive useage...As a simple means to cry wolf and being overly PC.

If one looks at Christmas/Xmas in it's current form, the way that it is written doesn't really matter. Those that do not want to see it as a Christian holiday do not. Writing it one way or the other is not going to make a difference.

If the Church itself is the one that originated the Xmas phrasing, the negative (or variable) connotation of the letter X does not apply.

I'm a Christian - I don't look at it as anything other than an abbreviation.

I use it - and certainly don't expect people to be offended. I find it pretentious point-making if they claim to be "offended."

If they think THAT'S being offended, give me five more minutes...I'll show them offended.

By the way Redd...I forgot to add that there are shortenings of the words 'Ramadan' and Hannakuh' in netspeak...

'Ram' and 'Han'...But considering that very few people who are engaging in chatrooms or shoutboxs, actually celebrate those holidays themselves, those netspeak useages are just rarely seen in chatspeak...

BUT, if you were to join a chatroom/shoutbox where the participants were celebrating those specific holidays, you would indeed see 'Ram' and 'Han' used as shortened version of those respective holidays...

But on a chatroom/shoutbox where the participants are from christian/non-Ramadan/Jewish backgrounds, you wouldn't see it or be familar with it's useage in netspeak...

I thought I was the only one who worried about this. The thing is I used to feel guilty for using it. I heard a sermon years ago by a kindly old minister who was giving the congregation tips for spreading the gospel and instigating talking points. He said to tell the shop owners where we did business that Jesus was the reason for the season and to please not shorten his message. (Because commercialization was just starting to be an issue what with television adds etcetera).
So it's taken me awhile to use the X, but I had no idea it really offended anyone in this day and age!
If so I will quit using it. Simple as that.

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If I thought anybody was really offended I wouldn't use it either.

But I know that they're not truly offended - it's simply feigned outrage to kickstart the Christians-get-no-respect-because-they-a-few-zealots-can't-set-the-rules-for-the-land argument going again.

It's all for show.

whenever I use the abbreviation xmas it's out of laziness and certainly not meant to offend anyone. It's certainly not as offensive as a Christmas card I saw once that said "Money's tight, times are hard, here's your fvcking Christmas card..." now that I could see being offensive though I thought it was rather funny. As for this:

I'll say straight up that I actively avoid ever writing Hannakuh cause I never know how the hell to spell it and neither apparently does anyone else as I see it all kinds of ways all the time with a ch, ect. So they get a straight up Happy Holidays all the time from me. And as for Ramadan I don't even know when the hell that is or what the hell it's about....talk about offensive.

I find the term Xmas offensive,the only time I have ever used it was in the rare times when Christmas would not "fit" in a field on a document.

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"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"-FDR

http://jeffersonblog.history.org/doe...ecision-making

I am beginning to find the whole damn Holiday offensive, primarily because Christians have been bitching so much about everything they can, and don't really seem to spend much time doing the whole "Peace on Earth" thing. Between Boycotts, Complaining,and general complaint about stupid inane issues, I doubt they have alot left to devote to ...you know....the whole Birth of Christ thingy.

I suppose I should start a new movement to bitch about the lack of Solstice and Yule banners in Walmart , so I can stop actually thinking about the reason I am smiling.