chrismon

Meanings

1. A Christogram.
2. A stylised siglum or character interpreted as an invocation of Christ in Merovingian and Carolingian documents.
3. A Christmas decoration with explicitly Christian religious symbolism.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin crismon (New Latin chrismus, chrismum, chrismos), of uncertain origin. In the 18th century adopted in German as Chrismon or Chrismum, plural Chrismen. English in the 19th century. The word was revived for a type of Christmas decoration in the mid 20th century, now with a popular etymology of its being a portmanteau of Christus + monogram.