Christmas in Puritan New England

Christmas in Puritan New England

Christmas in Puritan New England was a time of controversy and conflict, as the celebration of Christmas was largely banned by the Puritans who settled in the region. The Puritans, who were English Protestants seeking to purify the Church of England from Roman Catholic practices, viewed Christmas as a holiday with no biblical basis and associated it with pagan traditions and excess.

Historical Background

The Puritans arrived in New England in the early 17th century, with the first group landing in 1620. They sought to establish a society based on their religious beliefs, which included strict adherence to the Bible. The Puritans believed that many of the traditional celebrations of Christmas were rooted in paganism and were not sanctioned by the Scriptures.

The Ban on Christmas

In 1659, the Massachusetts Bay Colony passed a law that made celebrating Christmas illegal. The law stated that "whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way... shall pay for every such offense five shillings as a fine to the country." This ban was part of a broader effort to suppress what the Puritans saw as non-biblical holidays and practices.

The Puritans were particularly opposed to the way Christmas was celebrated in England, which often included feasting, drinking, and other forms of revelry. They believed that such celebrations were not only unbiblical but also encouraged immoral behavior.

Puritan Beliefs and Practices

The Puritans emphasized simplicity and piety in their religious practices. They believed that every day should be a day of worship and that no particular day should be set aside for special celebration unless it was explicitly commanded in the Bible. As a result, they rejected the celebration of Christmas, Easter, and other traditional Christian holidays.

Instead of celebrating Christmas, the Puritans focused on regular church attendance, prayer, and reading of the Scriptures. They also observed days of fasting and thanksgiving, which were proclaimed by the government in response to specific events or needs.

Resistance and Change

Despite the official ban, some settlers in New England continued to celebrate Christmas privately. Over time, as the influence of the Puritans waned and new waves of immigrants arrived, the strict prohibitions against Christmas began to relax.

By the late 17th century, the ban on Christmas was no longer enforced, and the holiday gradually became more accepted. However, it was not until the 19th century that Christmas became widely celebrated in New England, influenced by the broader cultural changes in the United States and the revival of Christmas traditions.

Legacy

The Puritan ban on Christmas in New England is a reminder of the complex relationship between religion and culture in early American history. It highlights the Puritans' desire to create a society based on their religious ideals and their resistance to practices they viewed as corrupt or unbiblical.

Today, Christmas is widely celebrated in New England, but the Puritan legacy can still be seen in the region's emphasis on simplicity and community values during the holiday season.

See Also

• Puritans
• Massachusetts Bay Colony
• History of Christmas

References

• Nissenbaum, Stephen. The Battle for Christmas. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1996.
• Hall, David D. Worlds of Wonder, Days of Judgment: Popular Religious Belief in Early New England. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1990.