Christmas Was Illegal in America for 22 Years

Christmas Was Illegal in America for 22 Years

From 1659 to 1681, celebrating Christmas in Massachusetts was against the law.

The punishment? A five-shilling fine — about $50 today.

The Puritans banned it. Not because they hated fun (okay, partly that), but because:

1.There's no mention of December 25th anywhere in the Bible 2.The holiday had pagan roots — it was placed on the Roman festival of Saturnalia 3. Christmas celebrations in the 1600s were wild. Drinking, gambling, and roving bands of poor people going door-to-door demanding food from the rich — and vandalizing homes if refused

That last tradition is actually where "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" comes from. Listen to the lyrics: "Now bring us some figgy pudding... we won't go until we get some."

That's not a polite request. That's a threat.

Even after the ban was lifted, Christmas wasn't a big deal in America for another 200 years. Schools and Congress stayed open on December 25th well into the 1800s.

The Christmas you know today? Mostly invented by the Victorians and Coca-Cola.

Merry Christmas Eve. 🎄