Christmas is often abbreviate as Xmas, but why? Why does X make a suitable abbreviation, and why does Christmas need abbreviating at all? To find the answers, we'll have to go back to the earliest days of Christianity, and and explore the world of symbology and word origins. 

Thank you to Mignon Fogarty, from Grammar Girl for joining me in this episode! 

Music in this episode

• "Golden Hour" — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive
• "Prelude No. 11" — Chris Zabrieski, via Free Music Archive
• "Silent Night" — ZakharValaha, via Pixabay
• "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Share a Christmas memory on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to [email protected]. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from. 

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Books

Of Christmases Long, Long Ago: Surprising Traditions from Christmas Past (2025, Lyons Press and Recorded Books) It's Christmas as you've never seen it before, and it makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life.

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions (2022, Lyons Press and Recorded Books)