But what about ‘ Xmas ’? Lots of people think this is just a modern-day abbreviation – but it actually dates back to the 16th century! The ‘X’ is said to represent the Greek letter ‘Chi’ – the first letter in the Greek word for Christ, Χριστός (pronounced ‘ Christos’).

Understanding the Context

The popular abbreviation “Xmas” comes from the Greek letter Chi (X), symbolizing Christ. The date December 25 was established in the 4th century to align with Roman winter festivals.