THE ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS IV: Prohibition and Rebirth

When we consider the way Christians celebrate Christmas today, we would think that this has always been an important celebration for them. But it hasn’t been that way…

During the Protestant Reformation, Christmas was prohibited by some churches because of its relation to ancient pagan traditions.

During 1647 in England, the English Puritan rulers prohibited the celebration of Christmas because it was associated with licentiousness and unrestrained behavior. However, the people rebelled, organizing several mutinies until they took over important cities such as Canterbury. In 1660 the prohibition was lifted, but many members of the Reformist clergy were not in agreement and continued preaching against the Christmas celebrations.

During the period of colonization of the United States, the New England puritans rejected Christmas, and its celebration was declared illegal in Boston from 1659 through 1681. However, the Christian residents of Virginia and New York continued celebrating it freely.

Christmas lost its popularity in the United States after the Independence was won, since it was considered an English tradition. During the first 75 years of existence, the American Congress continued working during the last week of the year, even on December 25^th. It wasn’t until 1870 that Christmas was declared an official holiday, under the government of the president Ulysses S. Grant. Even then, it was considered a controversial festivity among the religious leaders of the nation.

New York was mostly responsible for promoting the celebration of Christmas in the United States. In that city it was celebrated as the carnival that characterized it in Europe. However, in 1828 it produced such disorder and chaos in New York that the city had to establish its first police force.  City authorities later began to promote a more pacific version of the Christmas celebration.

The book “A Christmas Carol” by author Charles Dickens, published in 1843, played an important role in the reinvention of the Christmas celebration as a family and goodwill festival. It detached the connection it had with its ancient pagan origins.

As we previously learned, the Christmas tree has its origins in Germany and the Nordic countries. This tradition would have remained there if it wasn’t for the marriage union between princes Victoria of England and Prince Albert of Germany. The price brought to the Winsor palace several Christmas traditions, among them was the tree. A few years later, almost every family in England had imitated the new royal family tradition. This tradition did not take long to reach North America and became very popular.

By mid-nineteen Century, Christmas was already present everywhere in the American society… except in the churches. The majority of churches in the United States were protestant, and they had ignored Christmas for years. However, the celebration was becoming so popular that people started going to Catholic or Anglican churches in search of the Christmas experience. This led the Protestant church to also start performing religious services related to this popular celebration. But what really made Christmas popular were the gifts and the marketing avalanche to attract people to buy them. As soon as December approaches it is impossible to evade the subject throughout the whole world. It is even celebrated by families who don’t believe in Christ and in countries who are not traditionally Christian, as in Japan. Many Christians complain that we are “loosing the reason for the season”.  But was Christ ever the reason?

Today it may seem that Christmas has always been celebrated, and whoever doesn’t is out of the ordinary. Nobody thinks about where it came from, only on what it has become.

Lately, however, a movement has emerged that is bringing back to our attention the origin of Christmas. Many neo-pagan sects are currently gaining momentum and are reviving the Christmas traditions in the form of Yule and Saturnalia.

A follower of Wicca, a neo-pagan religion, was once asked why he had a Christmas tree in his home and why he celebrated Christmas, when it was a “Christian” festival. He responded: “There is no contradiction, since Christmas has pagan origins. I am merely returning to my roots. The question is: Why do you celebrate it?”

Summing Up…

There is much more information about this subject, but the purpose of these articles is to work as a summary. If you are still interested in the subject I invite you to investigate further. The purpose of this blog is not to study pagan holidays but the Feasts of the Lord. However, I considered it was important to write about this subject in order to keep us informed about what we do or what we don’t do.

(Jeremiah 10:1-7)  Hear the word that the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the LORD: "Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good." There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might. Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you.