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As
Martin Luther
ushered in the
Reformation, celebrations
steeped in pagan
rituals and holidays
featuring religious
feasts and riotous
behavior were
banned. In some
places, such as
Scotland in 1583,
Christmas observance
was outlawed altogether.
As
the political
landscape in England
changed, and those
of Puritan ideals
came to power,
the very acts
of even personal
celebration were
deemed illegal.
Carols were labeled
as profane, and
churches were
locked even for
the clergy to
prevent festivities
of the past to
be renewed on
traditional dates.
Such
harsh measures
indeed seem cruel.
But it must be
understood that
the thinking of
the time was that
Christmas was
not viewed as
a Christian event.
It was viewed
as a festival
with pagan roots
and to abolish
it meant turning
away from anything
associated with
it.
But
when the monarchy
returned to power
in 1660, led by
Charles II, Christmas
celebration was
again legitimized.
The popular sentiment
of the time was
expressed in this
verse:
Now
thanks to God
for Charles' return,
Whose absence
made old Christmas
mourn; For then
we scarcely did
it know, Whether
it Christmas were
or no.
While
much of the populace
was inclined to
favor Christmas
celebration, the
generations of
Puritan rule made
the comeback of
Christmas a more
conservative celebration.
While the legislative
branch of society
condoned Christmas,
the clergy remained
lodged in resistance.
The weight they
carried amongst
members of society
was great, and
few took to the
ways of Christmas
past.
In
succeeding generations
up to the 19th
century, Christmas
struggled to get
time and attention.
By combination
of a clergy which
frowned on Christmas
celebration and
economic realities
that made it impractical,
the holiday that
many wished it
would be just
never found the
seeming universal
popularity that
it once enjoyed.
It
must be noted
that the England
described by Dickens
was not all that
exaggerated. Scrooge
may have been
a fictional character
but his attitudes
were based in
fact. These were
terrible economic
times and the
budding Industrial
Revolution turned
minds to work
and not to holidays
or the celebrations
of them. Families
of workers struggled
mightily to make
ends meet, working
seven days a week
and enduring horrific
working conditions.
It was an era
of child labor
and success was
measured by the
amount of work
accomplished and
money earned.
How
much had things
changed? In 1761,
the Bank of England
closed for 47
holidays over
the course of
a year. By 1834,
it closed for
only four. Employees
of this era considered
themselves fortunate
to get even a
half day off for
Christmas observance.
For Scrooge to
give Bob Cratchit
a full day for
Christmas was
generous indeed!
The
Puritan era did
not kill Christmas.
But it came close.
The embers of
Christmas celebration
still glowed for
many, and with
them were sown
the seeds for
a Christmas comeback
in the Victorian
era still to come.
By
Jeff Westover
Used Here by Permission
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