Christmas... we call it Christmas... why?
It's a question we might not stop to ask. We might think we know. We might not care.
But for a lover of words-used-well, it's a normal wondering of my mind.
Turns out, there are quite a few answers, depending on who you ask.
Some say the word Christmas is a shortened representation of Christ's Mass, a practice of the Catholic church.
And what of those who shorten it completely and rather than write Christmas, they only put the energy forth to write Xmas? For years it has frustrated me to see this shortcut. For if we're going to cut anything short in the word it certainly should not be the "Christ" part. At 54 years of age, i've finally learned the reason behind this practice. The X in "Xmas" is the Greek letter chi, which is the first letter of the name "Christ" in that language.
For decades it's rubbed-my-fur-wrong when someone "left out Christ" in the writing of Christmas by shortening it to Xmas. Thank goodness for a quick internet search that has brought a digestible answer to that confusion.
Yesterday i sat in church and heard yet another sharing of the reason we celebrate the season. It's the same wonderful story ----- it does not change ----- it's worth celebrating.
But goodness knows without the Christ part, it would simple be a man-made-holiday.
Christmas is, as someone has said, when God came down the stairs of Heaven with a baby in his arms.
Could we just let that image settle in our minds, soften our souls, and set a right pace for the season?
It's a question we might not stop to ask. We might think we know. We might not care.
But for a lover of words-used-well, it's a normal wondering of my mind.
Turns out, there are quite a few answers, depending on who you ask.
Some say the word Christmas is a shortened representation of Christ's Mass, a practice of the Catholic church.
And what of those who shorten it completely and rather than write Christmas, they only put the energy forth to write Xmas? For years it has frustrated me to see this shortcut. For if we're going to cut anything short in the word it certainly should not be the "Christ" part. At 54 years of age, i've finally learned the reason behind this practice. The X in "Xmas" is the Greek letter chi, which is the first letter of the name "Christ" in that language.
For decades it's rubbed-my-fur-wrong when someone "left out Christ" in the writing of Christmas by shortening it to Xmas. Thank goodness for a quick internet search that has brought a digestible answer to that confusion.
Yesterday i sat in church and heard yet another sharing of the reason we celebrate the season. It's the same wonderful story ----- it does not change ----- it's worth celebrating.
But goodness knows without the Christ part, it would simple be a man-made-holiday.
Christmas is, as someone has said, when God came down the stairs of Heaven with a baby in his arms.
Could we just let that image settle in our minds, soften our souls, and set a right pace for the season?
Whether we know the true origin of the word, or write it in full (that's my camp) or shorten it with the Greek sign for Christ, X, there's so much more to ponder in the fullness of the word itself.
So i've played with it a bit, as i re-share a writing i posted two Christmas's ago.
In truth, we call it Christmas because -- when Christ was born so much happened.
How could that manger have held it all?
Christ --- m _____ a ______ s _______
Christ ...meets all
suffering
...masters all storms
...merges all saints
...mashes all stubbornness
...mends all sufferers
...makes all see
...meets all sinners
...magnifies all sanctity
...maintains all sanity
...maximizes all sacrifice
...memorizes all souls
...maneuvers all sciences
...matures all seasons
...materializes all sanctification
...merits all soldiers
...meanders among sinners
...manages all sheep
...mentors all shepherds
...models all scripture
...motivates all sunrises
...masters all sunsets
...mingles among survivors
...moans amidst sufferers
...mutilates all strongholds
...mocks all sorcery
...matures all seekers
...marinates all stonehearts
...manufactures all salvation
...matches all smiles
...maintains all stars
...mandates all salvation
...measures all sadness
...memorizes all souls
...mothers all sanctuaries
...molds all strength
...makes all sufficient
...models all submission
...melts all self-sufficiency
...mitigates all stings
...mocks all schemers
...moves all seas
...mystifies all skeptics
...motivates all simplicity
...maintains all shorelines
...monitors all secrets
...muddles all schemes
...makes a solution
...makes a solution
Christmas, why call it Christmas ?
----- what better name could there be?
----- what better name could there be?
For it is the way God chose to show the world that
Christ – makes – a –
Savior.
Merry CHRIST – m – a – s!!!!!
©2014 Donna Taylor/Reaching for the Robe
©2014 Donna Taylor/Reaching for the Robe
OMG, so creatively written....I love how many m's and s's you could find and how it worked into the mas of Christmas! You are an amazing writer Donna Taylor!
ReplyDeleteThank you dear Deitra! I'm missing you friend as i sit at Heart Lodge today. :) Love you --- Happy New Year!!!!
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