Hi friends! Before you start reading be aware that in this post I am sharing much about my faith and beliefs. If you don’t feel comfortable reading about it please stop now. You guys are the best! XO
Today I’m opening my heart and sharing with you why I could never replace the name of CHRIST with an X. Today I’m talking from my heart about my friend, my dear good friend, the ONLY ONE that didn’t just live for me but that willingly died for me as well. If you have ever loved someone that has also loved you back with unconditional love you may perhaps understand how personal this post is to me.
{ Image Source HERE }
Since I was a little girl Christmas for me truly was the most wonderful time of the year. I got to see during my early years of childhood the goodness from other people, and I experienced many of those Christmas miracles that you hear about. I got to see the kindness that touches your heart in such a way that you never forget. I got to meet the kind of angels that wake up every morning and go to work every day, and wear regular cloths. I got to see the light and the best of humanity during the darkest and hardest days of my life.
Since I was a little girl my Savior became so real to me. I could feel his tender care, his loving hand, his thoughtful teachings, and most importantly his endless love. On those days when we had no electricity He was our light. On those cold winter days he gave us warmth. On those days when our bellies were empty and we were terribly hungry, He made us full. On those days when there were no presents, He, my Savior and Redeemer became the GIFT.
How then could I replace His name with an X?
I can’t.
For many if we X Christ we also X CHRISTmas… It would look like this: CHRISTmas. Everything that during this magical season is a symbol and representation of whom He is would be X’d out. Think about it… The Christmas trees, the evergreen garlands, and the gorgeous wreaths are a reminder that in the same way that evergreen doesn’t die, fade, or lose its needles in the winter, through Christ and his resurrection we can also have everlasting life. As the wreaths have no beginning or end we can also be encircled forever in his never-ending love. You see, in the same way that sparkling lights and candles brighten up our homes during the Christmas season, his light brings warmth and clarity to our hearts. Like such as these the list of symbolisms are endless, from the candy canes to the star on top of the tree, to the traditional Christmas colors, ALL is a symbolism of the little baby that was born in Bethlehem.
How then can I replace all of it with an X?
I can’t.
Christmas is the most wonderful Birthday Party that we will ever attend. Christ invites all of us to come unto him. We are not forced to celebrate his birthday, we don’t have to celebrate Christmas, BUT that doesn’t change the fact that WE ARE ALL INVITED! No matter what we believe, no matter how low or high we may feel, no matter the way we look, or talk, or think, no matter what religion we have embraced or if we are not religious at all, we are ALL invited to his birthday party. For goodness sakes… I love that! As the perfect host he invites you, and me, and all of us to come together and celebrate light, love, kindness, joy, hope, and peace during the month and on the day that he was born.
How then could I replace His name from his own birthday?
I can’t.
I simply can’t.
Please don’t take me wrong… I know that “X” has many meanings. Among them, “X” comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Χριστός which comes into English as “Christ”. However, I also know that “X” has many more meanings… Here are just a few:
X, in Latin, “ex” means “out of,” as in Greek the preposition “ek” is “motion proceeding out from.”
X is also an instance of crossing or the condition of being crossed in the form of an X.
X signifies betrayal as to cross someone – XX = double cross.
X is a cross by its shape of two crossed lines – to “X out” is to cross out.
X is a mark, an indicator, an identifier.
X marks the checkbox.
X=ten in Roman numerals.
X is used as a mark for scoring a strike in bowling where it has a value of ten.
X represents 24 in arcane use as the 24th letter of the alphabet.
X is a symbol for multiplication.
X rated is a sign of explicit sexual content and pornography.
X indicates added dimension, as a 2×4.
X identifies one in a series as a placeholder: Gen X or Generation X or Planet X.
X = Kisses.
These are just a few meanings!
Christ, however, in Ancient Greek ( Χριστός, Christós) means “anointed”. It is a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ) and the Syriac (M’shiha), meaning the Messiah. CHRIST, is the title, the name, given to Jesus of Nazareth. The only meaning behind it, is HIM.
Can I take the time to say his name during Christmas?
I can.
I love this time of the year!
Merry Christmas to all!
Desirée
Here are some other Christmas Ideas that we love!
DIY Wood Nativity – Click HERE
25 Christmas Traditions – Click HERE
Free Christmas Printables – Click HERE
Thank you for sharing this. It was absolutely beautiful and I couldn’t agree more. Love this time of year for this very reason. It is all about Christ and His unconditional love for all mankind. xoxo
Thank you so much Emily!
Beautifully written. Merry Christmas!
Thank you Therese… Merry Christmas to you as well!
xo
Just finished reading your blog and some of the following comments and wanted to add my own. Thank you so much for sharing such a strong and touching testimony. I agree 100% with every word and I’m grateful for your reminder of the true reason we celebrate at this time of the year- we celebrate Him, His life, and His perfect love for all of us- all at His invitation. Thank you!!!
Thank you Darci for taking the time to come, read, and leave such a sweet comment… It means a lot to me!
xo
I am not arguing with you, but I wanted to let you know that using Xmas is not taking Christ out of Christmas. In the Greek alphabet, X is the symbol for the letter ‘chi.’ Chi (or X) is the first letter in the Greek word for Christ. In the early days of the Christian church, Christians used the letter X as a secret symbol to indicate their membership in the church to others.
If you know the Greek meaning of X, Xmas and Christmas essentially mean the same thing: Christ + mas = Christmas.
Thank you for sharing your heart and faith!! It is a breath of fresh air. I totally agree with everything you said. Christ gave His life for us and we should honor Him in all we do. Have a very merry Christmas 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing. Your thoughts are a beautiful reminder of the true meaning of Christmas and the gratitude that we should show and share – not only during the Christmas season, but all year long.
Aww… Thank you Cristy! XO
Thank you for your post. We all need to keep our eyes focused on our Lord. II can’t imagine a life without Him. God Bless You for having the courage to write such beautifiul words in your blog. We all need to witness to the world. Praise God for Whom ALL Blessings Flow!
Thank YOU so much Carol for taking the time to read it all. Sending you hugs!
Very well said, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ is awesome and I love everything He has done for me and you… may Gods abundant Blessing be with you and your family this Christmas.
Thank you Trina… God bless you!
Thanks for sharing why it should always be CHRISTmas!
I am in total agreement. I never use the Xmas abbreviation, even in my own notes because it feels like crossing out Christ. But, I thought you might be interested in knowing that, historically, the X actually meant Christ. Here’s an article that explains a little more: http://m.mentalfloss.com/article.php?id=26700