What the biggest 'War on Christmas' controversy gets wrong about history

• But "Xmas" predates any current talk about the alleged "war on Christmas."

• In fact, it can be traced back to the early days of Christianity.

On the surface, it certainly looks like "Xmas" shoves Christ out of Christmas. The word itself almost appears to cross out the mere mention of the holiday's religious focus.

But many of those who claim offense at the term "Xmas" fail to recognize the word actually dates back to Christianity's genesis. The "X" is a simplified version of the chi rho — the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ superimposed over one another

The early Christians were quite fond of symbols. They use a number of them, like the staurogram, the IX monogram, and the alpha and omega to represent their messiah. The chi rho symbol itself predates Christianity. Ancient-Symbols.com cites its origins as a symbol of luck and goodness in ancient Greece. However, early Christians claimed it as their own.

It proved to be an enduring symbol, and even carried over into the English language — albeit, in an altered state. According to "Curious Customs" by Tad Tuleja, using "Xmas" instead of Christmas dates back to at least late medieval England. He writes that other, funkier versions, like "X'temmas," cropped up in 1531.

Despite its historical bona fides, the abbreviation has taken considerable flak over the years, especially in the US. In 1977, conservative New Hampshire Governor Meldrim Thomson sent a press release to journalists telling them to avoid using "Xmas" and to "Keep Christ in Christmas Day," according to the Montreal Gazette.

Politico estimates the most recent iteration of the "war on Christmas" began in 2004, with recently ousted Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly firing the opening salvo. As a result, "Xmas" has continued to be the target of such discussions.

Back in 2005, evangelist preacher, and son of Billy Graham, Franklin spoke with CNN's Soledad O'Brien, about those who say, "Xmas" instead of Christmas: "They're happy to say merry Xmas. Let's just take Jesus out. And really, I think, a war against the name of Jesus Christ... There's no question. I think secularists are trying to do this, to take Christ out of the Christmas. They don't want to rid of the holidays; they just don't want Jesus in the holidays."

It's understandable why some may feel that "Xmas" looks like it's erasing the true meaning of the holiday for Christians. But blaming the secularization of a religious holiday on a tiny, centuries-old abbreviation reflects a misunderstanding of history and language.