I WISH people would stop shortening Christmas to Xmas. It looks and sounds dreadful.

It niggles me too when Saint is more often than not shortened to St.

I would remind those who do not already know and may well be surprised to know, that Mr is a shortened version of Mister, Mrs is a shortened version of Missus and Miss is a shortened version of Mistress.

I await comments from the critics-in-waiting.

Geoff Gregg, Tursdale, County Durham.