On December 25, 1647, England awoke to an extraordinary and somber Christmas morning: for the first time, the holiday was officially canceled. The Puritan government had banned Christmas celebrations, deeming them unholy and irreverent. A public notice in the Massachusetts Bay Colony twelve years later reflected a similar sentiment:
“The observation of Christmas having been deemed a Sacrilege, the exchanging of Gifts and Greetings, dressing in Fine Clothing, Feasting, and similar Satanical Practices are hereby FORBIDDEN, with the Offender liable to a Fine of Five Shillings.”
The bans were part of a broader effort by Puritans to reform society and align it more closely with their strict religious beliefs. While these measures may seem extreme today, they underscore a longstanding tension surrounding Christmas: its sacred significance versus its secular and, at times, indulgent celebrations. A closer look at the history of Christmas reveals a complex evolution from piety to revelry, and eventually to commercialism.
The Origins of Christmas
Contrary to popular belief, Christmas was not celebrated universally by early Christians. For the first three centuries of the church, there was little to no observance of Christ’s birth. The first recorded celebration of Christmas dates back to the mid-fourth century, when Pope Julius I officially designated December 25 as the day to commemorate the event. This date coincided with the darkest day of the year in the Julian calendar—a fitting symbol for the arrival of the “great light” foretold in Isaiah 9:2.
However, the selection of December 25 has long been debated. Some historians suggest that the date was chosen to counter pagan festivals such as Saturnalia or the Feast of the Unconquered Sun, while others argue it was tied to theological calculations, including the belief that Christ’s conception occurred on March 25. Regardless of the exact reasoning, Christmas—from its inception—was intertwined with pagan traditions, leading to celebrations that often blurred the lines between sacred and profane.
A Day of Debauchery
For centuries, Christmas was far from the family-friendly holiday we know today. Historian Stephen Nissenbaum, in his book The Battle for Christmas, describes how early Christmas celebrations often resembled a carnival of misrule:
“It involved behavior that most of us would find offensive and even shocking today—rowdy public displays of eating and drinking, the mockery of established authority, aggressive begging (often involving the threat of doing harm), and even the invasion of wealthy homes.” (p. 5–6)
Drunkenness, revelry, and even sacrilege were common. The English pastor John Chrysostom, writing in the fourth century, warned against “feasting to excess and wild dancing” during Christmas, urging his congregation to approach the holiday in a “heavenly and not an earthly manner.”
This reputation for debauchery partly explains why Puritans in the 17th century sought to abolish Christmas. They lamented how a day meant to honor Christ had become, in their view, a spectacle of “extreme forgetfulness of him.”
The Transformation of Christmas
By the early 19th century, Christmas began to transform into the cozy, child-friendly holiday we recognize today. New traditions emerged, such as decorating indoor Christmas trees, exchanging gifts, and celebrating with family gatherings. Charles Dickens’s 1843 novella A Christmas Carol played a significant role in shaping modern Christmas ideals, emphasizing charity, goodwill, and familial love.
An illustration from 1852 contrasts the shift: “Old Christmas Festivities” depicts a raucous, male-dominated feast, while “The Christmas Tree” shows a serene family gathering around a decorated tree. These changes made Christmas more amenable to Christian worship but also introduced new challenges. As Dickens’s tale suggests, the holiday’s focus could shift from the worship of Christ to merely promoting goodwill and merriment.
Christmas in the Age of Commercialism
In the past century, Christmas has become synonymous with consumerism. The holiday season now drives billions in retail sales, with advertisements often overshadowing the nativity story. C.S. Lewis criticized this trend, referring to it as “the commercial racket” (God in the Dock, p. 338). Donald Heinz, in his book Christmas: Festival of Incarnation, warned that such commercialism “re-trains believers to act like consumers precisely when they are behaving religiously.”
This blending of worship with materialism presents a unique challenge for Christians today. As Lewis cautioned, the message of Christ’s humble birth—a Savior born in poverty and humility—stands in stark contrast to the glittering displays of wealth and excess that often dominate modern Christmas celebrations.
Reclaiming the Heart of Christmas
While the world may continue to commercialize and secularize Christmas, Christians have the opportunity to reclaim its true meaning. The Bible’s account of the first Christmas emphasizes joyful, awestruck worship:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).
Shepherds glorified and praised God (Luke 2:20), Simeon and Anna lifted their voices in thanksgiving (Luke 2:28–32, 38), and wise men traveled far to honor the newborn King.
As we navigate our own Christmas traditions, we might ask ourselves: Do our celebrations point to Christ? Are we, like the shepherds and wise men, focused on worshiping Him? Or have we allowed the busyness of the season to obscure its central message?
A Season of Reflection
Perhaps, in considering the Puritans’ controversial decision to cancel Christmas, we might feel a strange sympathy for their desire to purify the holiday. While few would advocate for banning Christmas today, their example reminds us to examine our own practices. Some traditions can be redeemed; others may need to be set aside to keep Christ at the center of our celebrations.
Christmas, at its best, is a time to reflect on the awe-inspiring reality of God’s love: the eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). As we exchange gifts, sing carols, and gather with loved ones, let us ensure that our celebrations lead us not to mere merriment but to worship—lifting our voices with the angels to declare, “Glory to God in the highest!”
