Xmas

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,

There is a common belief 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.

Style guides and etiquette

"Xmas" is deprecated by some modern style guides, including those at the New York Times,The Times, The Guardian, and the BBC.Millicent Fenwick, in the 1948 Vogue's Book of Etiquette, states that "'Xmas' should never be used" in greeting cards.The Cambridge Guide to Australian English Usage states that the spelling should be considered informal and restricted to contexts where concision is valued, such as headlines and greeting cards.The Christian Writer's Manual of Style, while acknowledging the ancient and respectful use of "Xmas" in the past, states that the spelling should never be used in formal writing.

The Night Before (2015 film)

The Night Before is a 2015 American Christmas comedy film directed by Jonathan Levine, written by Levine, Evan Goldberg, Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie as three childhood friends who annually reunite on Christmas Eve.

Principal photography began on August 11, 2014, in New York City. Good Universe and Point Grey Pictures produced the film, which Columbia Pictures released on November 20, 2015.

Plot

In December 2001, Ethan Miller loses both his parents in a car accident. To cheer him up, his best friends, Isaac Greenberg and Chris Roberts, start a tradition to spend every Christmas Eve together bar hopping around New York City. In 2008, the friends meet some girls who came from a party called the Nutcracker Ball, describing it as a wild and crazy party to which guests must acquire special invitations. Over the following years, the trio unsuccessfully search for the party's location, yet it remains elusive. In 2015, the three friends decide to end the tradition. However, Chris, now a famous football player, and Isaac, a soon-to-be father with his wife Betsy, privately worry that Ethan, who is a struggling musician working at a hotel and has also recently broken up with his girlfriend Diana, might not be ready for the tradition to end as it remains an important priority to him.

Xmas 93

Xmas 93 is a Christmas-themed single released by Saint Etienne. Released by Heavenly Records in December 1993, the lead track "I Was Born On Christmas Day" features guest vocals from The Charlatans singer Tim Burgess.

The song's title is a nod to band member Bob Stanley who was born on 25 December 1964. The music video for the hit was filmed in the vicinity of Kensington and Chelsea Register Office in London.

The main b-side, "My Christmas Prayer" is a cover of the Billy Fury original. The two bonus b-sides, "Snowplough" and "Peterloo" are both instrumentals.

Track listing

References