People across Ireland are making their final preparations for Christmas, with the big celebration just days away.
However, the controversial question of whether to say 'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy Xmas' can divide many.
For some, Christmas is the only correct name for holiday, but others use it interchangeably with Xmas.
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Not everyone is familiar with the etymology behind the words, and many don't know the difference between them at all, Mirror UK reports.
Social media is currently full of people only just learning about the different origins behind the two terms, with many only now realising both hold a religious meaning - contrary to the popular belief Xmas is a secular version of its longer counterpart.
According to Dictionary.com, the -mas comes from the old English word for mass. Equally, the origins of Christ in Christmas are easy to understand.
But what about the X that replaces Christ in Christmas?
Xmas was used as an abbreviation as early as the mid-1500s, according to Dictionary.com. The experts explain: "X represents the Greek letter chi the initial letter in the word Χριστός (Chrīstos) - which means '(Jesus) Christ.'"
The word experts add that X has been widely accepted as a representation of the word Christ for hundreds of years, with its common usage explaining why the word sometimes appears in the abbreviated form.
For lots of people, it seems the reason Christmas is sometimes called Xmas is new knowledge. You only have to browse Twitter to find a range of tweets from social media users keen to understand the difference.
Elsewhere on TikTok, viewers have previously been left stunned by videos dedicated to the topic.
In a post about 'Xmas' and why it is often seen as secular word for Christmas - one that reflects the holiday's more commercialised aspects - @thepiosilva said: "The real origin of the X comes from the Greek name for Christ himself, if you were referring to Christ as Christos or Chi (X) in Greek."
In response, one viewer said: "Thank you, my whole life has been a lie."
While a second replied: "Mind-blowing."
And someone else said: "I didn't know the Xmas."
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