XOXOXO

Happy Valentine's Month!

The following is on our February Relief Society newsletter & I thought it was interesting!

We often see the acronym XOXO at the end of a written letter, e-mail, or text message as a quick way to express love.  Generally the "X" represents a kiss and the "O" represents a hug, but how did these letters come to mean these things?

The origin of the X comes from medieval tradition which allowed those who could not write to sign a document with a X. The signer would then place a kiss on the X as a seal of honesty or truth.  Some also believe the X stands as a symbol of the cross and Christ.  The origin of the O is generally unknown, but it is thought to represent the shape of a person's arms as they embrace another person. 

However, there is also much debate over which letter stand for which action.  Some people believe that the X represents the way that the arms cross in a hug and that the O represents the shape of a mouth for a kiss.  Whichever meaning you choose for the XOXO symbol, the message is still the same, and it's as powerful as ever. 

~LDS Living Jan/Feb 2011