When Christmas Was Illegal: The Puritans Who Cancelled Christmas

For over two decades in colonial Boston (1659-1681), celebrating Christmas was a crime punishable by a fine of five shillings - about a week's wages. In England, the Puritan Parliament banned Christmas entirely from 1647-1660, and soldiers patrolled the streets making sure no one was feasting, decorating, or enjoying themselves. Get caught with a Christmas dinner? You could be arrested.

The Puritans hated Christmas for multiple reasons - there was no biblical mandate for December 25th, the celebrations were too rowdy and drunken, and many traditions had pagan origins. They called it "Foolstide" and considered it a mockery of Christ. In England, soldiers would search homes for hidden Christmas dinners and confiscate festive foods. Shops were required to stay open on Christmas Day. Anyone caught celebrating could face fines or imprisonment.

But people didn't give up easily. Secret Christmas celebrations became acts of rebellion. In England, there were pro-Christmas riots where crowds attacked Puritan authorities. Shopkeepers who opened on Christmas Day had their windows smashed. In one town, protesters hung a dead cat where holiday decorations used to be in protest.

Even after the bans were lifted, Christmas remained controversial for centuries. As late as the 1800s, many American businesses stayed open on December 25th, and some churches refused to acknowledge the holiday.

This episode explores how Christmas went from illegal to essential, why Puritans despised the holiday, and how centuries of resistance eventually brought back the celebration they tried to destroy.

Keywords: weird history, Christmas history, Puritan Christmas ban, illegal Christmas, colonial America, Boston history, English Civil War, Puritan laws, holiday history, Christmas traditions

Perfect for listeners who love: Christmas history, Puritan America, religious controversies, holiday traditions, and stories of cultural rebellion.