TinysMom
Well-Known Member
dazzy_14 wrote:
I found this (which I found interesting)...
The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning "Christ's mass". It is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes mæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038.[5][/sup] "Cristes" is from Greek christos and "mæsse" is from Latin missa. In early Greek versions of the New Testament, the letter Χ (chi), is the first letter of Christ. Since the mid-16th century Χ, or the similar Roman letter X, has been used as an abbreviation for Christ.[8][/sup] Hence, Xmas is often used as an abbreviation for Christmas.
After the conversion of Anglo-Saxon Britain in the very early 7th century, Christmas was referred to as geol,[5][/sup] the name of the pre-Christian winter festival from which the current English word 'Yule' is derived.[9][/sup]
Lots more interesting stuff here too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas
Ok...I knew it had to do w/ the birth of Jesus Christ...but you had me go looking for more information.
I found this (which I found interesting)...
The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning "Christ's mass". It is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes mæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038.[5][/sup] "Cristes" is from Greek christos and "mæsse" is from Latin missa. In early Greek versions of the New Testament, the letter Χ (chi), is the first letter of Christ. Since the mid-16th century Χ, or the similar Roman letter X, has been used as an abbreviation for Christ.[8][/sup] Hence, Xmas is often used as an abbreviation for Christmas.
After the conversion of Anglo-Saxon Britain in the very early 7th century, Christmas was referred to as geol,[5][/sup] the name of the pre-Christian winter festival from which the current English word 'Yule' is derived.[9][/sup]
Lots more interesting stuff here too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas
Go santa!!
