In the 1600s Protestants throughout Europe were suspicious of Christmas celebrations. They were too closely associated with Catholicism, there was no mention of such a thing in the Bible, and they thought the festivities had become too drunken and debauched.
In 1645 Parliament declared that Christmas, Easter and other such festivals were no longer to be observed with special services or celebrations, and an outright ban followed in 1647. The ban was unpopular - there were riots in Kent and elsewhere the same year. But in 1652 the ban was strengthened when shops were ordered to stay open on Christmas Day.
However by 1656 many people were ignoring the ban, and even in London shops stayed shut and festivities continued, with MPs kept awake by the sound of Christmas parties next to their lodgings. An attempt at further legislation quickly failed.
Like many "moral" bans, the ban on Christmas was largely unenforceable, particularly without the machinery of modern government or even a police force.
The ban is especially ironic nowadays, when Christmas celebrations are not just permissible but almost compulsory. If you don't have all the expected trimmings and trappings - presents, decorations, turkey dinner, festive sweaters, festive movies, Christmas cards etc etc - you're clearly some miserable party-pooper who needs to lighten up and get with the programme.
There must be plenty of exhausted parents out there (especially women) who rather like the idea of a ban on Christmas. But it'll have to remain a private dream. Christmas is here to stay.
* Many thanks to the Oliver Cromwell Museum, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, for details of the ban
Anonymous Fly. Christmas Day was not a holiday when I was a child in Scotland...but at least you were not fined! And as far as father was concerned that was a Good Thing!
ReplyDeleteFly: I didn't know that about Christmas Day in Scotland. So it was strictly for sassenachs?
DeleteWe might be getting close to that again in the USA. Schools are not allowed to present anything having to do with any religion including Christmas programs. All in the name of not preferring one religion over another while using the excuse of separation of church and state.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Linda: Excluding all religions just because one religion might get too much attention is a bit excessive.
DeleteOur Christmas this year was very special. We hosted a meal for of us unknown Palestinians and Jews at the same table. Young and old. It was wonderful and showed us when people speak together they find out that there are many similar ideas and wishes they cherished and all they are longing for peace and understanding. Saïd had a smile all evening ( which was my nicest gift) and we started to hope again. When our child was small and young , we celebrated all feasts : Our child adored the tree with candles and decoration and our friends were always surprised that as a Jew and Palestinian family we would celebrate the rituals around Christmas. We are not religious and all this was never a problem for us, especially because most of the rituals come from long long time ago and were not always of religious origin.
ReplyDeleteNick I wish you and Jenny all the best for 2024.
Hannah
Hannah: It's good to see people of different faiths getting on together rather than at daggers drawn. Yes, hopefully a bit more peace and understanding in 2024. I can't see a problem with celebrating Christmas or whatever other festival is preferred. At the end of the day Christmas is just an opportunity for people to relax and enjoy themselves and meet up with the rest of their families.
DeleteProtestant party pooping appears to have a long history!
ReplyDeleteIt does indeed. And as in other matters, lots of people simply took no notice and celebrated Christmas anyway!
DeleteYeah I didn't know anything about that.
ReplyDeleteMary: Not many people do. For some reason the media never mention it in all their voluminous Christmas coverage.
DeleteI was unaware of the ban. It is a shame that people just can't allow others to just be themselves. If you wish to celebrate, do so. Some people get bent if you say Merry Christmas as though it were insulting rather than a thoughtful gesture of well wishes.
ReplyDeletePaula: Nowadays when Christmas is a big deal and it's so lavishly celebrated, it seems quite weird that attempts were once made to ban it altogether.
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