Why Was Christmas Banned In Scotland For 400 Years

This is largely why scots are thought to have such an appetite for hogmanay well that and our love of a good night out.

Why was christmas banned in scotland for 400 years. For nearly 400 years the celebration of christmas as we know it was banned in scotland. Up until the reformation in 1560 christmas in scotland was a religious feasting day celebrated in a way similar to much of europe. During a period known as the reformation parliament. But unbeknown to many christmas was effectively banned in scotland for nearly 400 years.

Arts and culture when christmas was banned in scotland people have often wondered why we scots celebrate hogmanay with so much enthusiasm compared with other cultures. In the 17th century the puritans had laws forbidding the celebration of christmas unlike the catholic church or the anglican church the latter from which they separated. Hogmanay was the real traditional celebration. Christmas day did not become a public holiday until 1958 in scotland boxing day only in 1974.

Well christmas was effectively banned in scotland for 400 years. It s no wonder that the scottish new year s festival hogmanay is a days long party. Christmas is celebrated on 25th december in scotland. The banning of christ s mass the people of the united kingdom were oppressed by oliver cromwell in the mid 1600s.

It may surprise many people to note that christmas was not celebrated as a festival and virtually banned in scotland for around 400 years from the end of the 17th century to the 1950s. It all began when in 1560 scotland split from the catholic church in a period known as the scottish reformation which saw. 12 13 the new year s eve festivity hogmanay was by far the largest celebration in scotland. In shetland where the viking influence remains strongest new year is still called yules deriving from the scandinavian word for the midwinter festival of yule.

In the 1580 s this magical festival was obliterated from the list of scottish festivals as it was seen to be supporting romanism. The giftgiving public holidays and feasting associated with mid winter were traditionally held between 11 december and 6 january. The reason christmas was not celebrated until recently go back to the time of john knox in the 1580 s as it was seen to be papist in origin the ban was strictly enforced in law. Christmas was not traditionally celebrated in scotland because it was banned for nearly 400 years until the 1950 s.

Punishments for celebrating yule were harsh and there was no public holiday for the scottish people on christmas day. After years of build up finally in 1640 an act of parliament of scotland made the celebration of yule illegal.