Why Was Christmas Banned In The 17th Century

The 17th century satirical backlash when parliament banned christmas 19 december 2019.

Why was christmas banned in the 17th century. The holiday similarly was banned in colonial new england. The puritan community found no scriptural justification for celebrating christmas and associated such celebrations with paganism and idolatry indeed christmas celebrations in 17th century england involved. Increasingly in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries many people especially the more godly came to frown upon this celebration of christmas for two reasons. Christmas banned in england in 17th century.

University of warwick historian professor bernard capp said the ban was put in place by the puritan government in 1647 as they believed christmas was used as an excuse for drunkenness promiscuity gambling and other forms of excess. Most americans today are unaware that christmas was banned in boston from 1659 to 1681 all. Christmas is a time for celebration but the festive season was once banned in england for almost 20 years sparking a second civil war. Three hundred and seventy years ago between 1645 and 1660 parliamentarians completely outlawed christmas.

Christmas celebrations in new england were illegal during parts of the 17th century and were culturally taboo or rare in former puritan colonies from foundation until the mid 18th century. Christmas wasn t made a legal holiday in massachusetts until 1856. The government imposed a festive vacuum each december which was underpinned by the puritan belief that the catholic celebration was a sinful. Banned for part of the 17th century by oliver cromwell lord protector of england 1653 1658 what country banned christmas.

The original war on christmas was waged during the sixteenth and seventeenth century by. Firstly they disliked all the waste extravagance disorder sin and immorality of the christmas celebrations. With the atheistic cult of reason in power during the era of revolutionary france christian christmas religious services were banned and the three kings cake was forcibly renamed the equality cake under anticlerical. 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.