Instead, they signed with an O. The O then made the jump to meaning "hug" simply as an opposite of X, which had already come to mean "kiss. Regardless of the history of what XOXO really means, we're all familiar with the colloquial meaning now!
Denasi, who studied the history of kissing for his book, agrees that the X in XOXO has been used in correspondence since medieval times. But what does X mean really? Though initially the X was meant to symbolize "Christ," somewhere along the way, it evolved into a way of signing with a kiss. Perhaps, Denasi says, it reflected a cultural shift to placing greater importance on love and affection.
As people followed tradition and signed and sealed their letters with an X, it eventually came to mean they were sealing it with a kiss, perhaps even physically kissing the scroll or paper once sealed, Denasi believes. Today, people are more likely to think of the X as a symbol of the way a person's mouth puckers when they kiss or what two people kissing look like from above.
So, since both the X and the O were easy to write, even for people who hadn't learned to read, and Denasi notes that tic-tac-toe, a game that uses X and O symbols, developed in the medieval period as well, these two symbols have long been connected.
Still, there isn't much evidence that the O was used to symbolize the hug in writing before , according to the Washington Post. Regardless of how it began, the O can be seen as a visual symbol of a hug. We use plenty of variations of and substitutes for XOXO—whether it's in a written letter, email, text or chat.
Even with all these different ways of sending kisses and hugs, XOXO endures. They get passed on from generation to generation.
If it takes little effort to repurpose it, it will continue to be used. It's my opinion that symbols like XOXO will never disappear as long as we have that emotion. What is XOXO to us now? It's an expression of love. With its sentiment of physical affection and roots in marital love, XOXO makes a sweet motif to incorporate into a wedding.
I can't think of a more appropriate place than a wedding, where the room is filled with unconditional love and support, to share the XOXOs," says Jenny Orsini, owner and creative director of Jenny Orsini Events. And there are many ways of doing so. Send a love letter to your guests by engraving or stamping invitations with an XOXO graphic design. A professional designer can make sure the XOXO logo is perfect for your style and can help you create a cohesive look throughout the event.
By sending Xs and Os in your invite, you're setting the tone for a warm, welcoming event full of love. Once you have an XOXO symbol, you can carry it into other pieces of wedding stationery, such as the menu, table cards and escort cards. Xs and Os work great at the cocktail hour, which can have an intimate and social feel, says Sarah Chancey, founder and creative lead of wedding planning and design company Chancey Charm.
Cocktail napkins can also be emblazoned with XOXO. Set up a table where guests can find their table numbers on cards shaped like an X or O.
A wedding cake is the piece de resistance of the wedding reception—and an ideal place to incorporate XOXO. For an elegant look, crown your dessert with a shiny, metallic XOXO cake topper. If you want a more modern spin, have your designer create an XOXO pattern in fondant icing and cover the cake with it, Orsini says. XOXO can be used throughout the reception.
Look for metal tabletop Xs and Os to accent your sweetheart table or the bar. Just know that you don't need an X and an O everywhere for guests to notice them. X and O balloons and handheld XOXO props make for cute photo ops for your bridal party or for guests. Creating that cohesive feeling gives your wedding its own unique brand, and guests really do notice that attention to detail.
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