<P> Xmas is a common abbreviation of the word Christmas . It is sometimes pronounced / ˈɛksməs /, but Xmas, and variants such as Xtemass, originated as handwriting abbreviations for the typical pronunciation / ˈkrɪsməs / . The "X" comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Χριστός, which in English is "Christ". The "- mas" part is from the Latin - derived Old English word for Mass . </P> <P> There is a common misconception that the word Xmas stems from a secular attempt to remove the religious tradition from Christmas by taking the "Christ" out of "Christmas", but its use dates back to the 16th century . </P>

Is there a difference between xmas and christmas