Hello! Let's continue our journey through the history of Christmas.
In our last lesson, we unpacked the why behind the Puritan opposition to Christmas. We saw that their objections were not just about being austere, but were rooted in a coherent theological framework: the regulative principle of worship, a rejection of "Popish" rituals, and a deep concern over the holiday's pagan origins and the social chaos it often unleashed.
Today, we move from the why to the what and how. This lesson will focus on one of the most dramatic episodes in the holiday's history: the official ban on Christmas in England during the turbulent years of the English Civil War and the rule of Oliver Cromwell. We will trace the legislative steps that led to the ban, examine the popular resistance it provoked, and clarify Cromwell's actual role in this affair.
By the end of our lesson, you will be able to describe the ban on Christmas in England, from its political origins to its eventual demise.
The Political Cauldron: How Puritans Gained Power
To understand how a religious group could ban a nation's most popular holiday, we must first look at the political context. The power to outlaw Christmas didn't appear out of nowhere; it was a direct consequence of the English Civil War (1642-1651), a conflict that pitted the Puritan-dominated Parliament against King Charles I.
When CHRISTMAS WAS CANCELLED. The year CHRISTMAS WAS BANNED. Life without Christmas. History Calling
The video "When CHRISTMAS WAS CANCELLED" provides a concise overview of how this political struggle set the stage for the attack on Christmas.
Please watch from 04:15 to 05:50. As you watch, focus on the core conflict between King Charles I and Parliament, and how Parliament's growing power enabled them to begin implementing their Puritan ideals.
As you saw, the war gave Parliament the authority it needed to reshape England according to its vision. With the King's power checked, the path was clear for Puritan leaders to translate their theological objections to Christmas into national law.
The Slow Strangulation of Christmas: A Legislative Timeline
The suppression of Christmas was not a single, sudden decree. It was a gradual process, enacted through a series of parliamentary ordinances over several years.
To understand this progression, please read the following text from the Cromwell Museum, which breaks down the key legislative steps.
Did Oliver Cromwell ban Christmas?
This article, titled 'Did Oliver Cromwell ban Christmas?', provides an excellent, clear timeline of the laws passed by Parliament.
Please read the section titled 'How did the Christmas Ban come about?'. Pay close attention to the three key dates and what each piece of legislation accomplished: 1644: The initial ordinance for a fast day coinciding with Christmas. 1645: The Directory of Public Worship which removed Christmas from the church calendar. 1647: The final, outright ban on all Christmas festivities, including in the home.
Let's summarize that timeline:
- 1644: The first official move. Christmas Day happened to fall on a legally mandated monthly fast day. Parliament passed an ordinance explicitly stating the fast must be observed, using the opportunity to condemn the "carnal and sensual delights" of Christmas.
- 1645: The religious aspect was formally abolished. The new Directory of Public Worship replaced the old Book of Common Prayer and simply omitted Christmas, Easter, and other holy days, stating they had "no warrant in the word of God."
- 1647: The final nail in the coffin. An ordinance was passed that explicitly banned the "Feast of the Nativity of Christ" and other festivals. This ban extended beyond the church to include secular celebrations, even in private homes, with fines for non-compliance.
This gradual escalation shows a Parliament growing increasingly confident in its power and determined to enforce its Puritan principles on the nation.
The Man, The Myth, The Ban: What Was Cromwell's Role?
The phrase "Cromwell banned Christmas" has become a historical shorthand, but is it accurate? While Oliver Cromwell was the leading figure of the English Republic and a staunch Puritan, the story is more complex.
The video "When CHRISTMAS WAS CANCELLED" and the article from the Cromwell Museum both address this directly. Cromwell was a key military and political leader, and as Lord Protector, he certainly didn't act to repeal the ban. However, the legislative work was done by Parliament.
Crucially, as the Cromwell Museum article points out, Cromwell was absent from Parliament for the key 1647 ordinance, as he was dealing with the army at the time. Therefore, while he likely approved of the ban, the idea that he personally orchestrated it is a myth. The decision was a collective one made by the Puritan-led Parliament.
"The World Turned Upside Down": Resistance and Defiance
The ban on England's most beloved holiday was, predictably, deeply unpopular. The government's attempts to enforce it were met with everything from passive resistance to violent riots.
This popular backlash was captured in sermons, diaries, and satirical pamphlets of the day.
The resistance wasn't just on paper. Let's delve into the reality of how the ban played out across the country.
The article 'Christmas under the Puritans' from History Today gives a vivid account of the popular resistance to the ban.
Please read two sections from this article: Start at 'The first big test of the determination...' and read to the end of that paragraph. This details the pro-Christmas riots of 1647. Then, read the section that begins with 'The evidence to the contrary seems, on the other hand, to be conclusive.' This section describes the widespread passive resistance, like the closing of shops.
As you've read, the opposition was fierce and widespread:
- Violent Riots: Pro-Christmas riots erupted in cities like Canterbury, Ipswich, and Oxford. In Canterbury, the mayor was attacked, and the rioters passed a resolution demanding, "If they could not have their Christmas day, they would have the King back on his throne," directly linking the holiday to the Royalist cause.
- Passive Resistance: The most common form of defiance was simply ignoring the law. Shopkeepers across London continued to shut their doors on December 25th, in spite of orders to remain open.
- Secret Celebrations: People continued to decorate their homes with holly and ivy and to hold private feasts. Secret church services were held, though participants risked arrest, as the diarist John Evelyn recorded in 1657 when soldiers stormed his secret Christmas service.
Test your understanding!
Imagine you are a Puritan magistrate in London in 1655. Based on the historical evidence, which of the following challenges would you most likely face in enforcing the Christmas ban?
a) Widespread enthusiasm from the public for helping you identify and punish offenders.
b) A lack of clear laws from Parliament on whether Christmas is actually banned.
c) Widespread, quiet non-compliance, such as most shops being closed, making it difficult to single out offenders.
d) The Royalist army actively protecting public Christmas celebrations.
Show answer
The correct answer is (c). The evidence shows that while there were some violent riots, the most persistent problem for authorities was mass passive resistance. It was difficult to enforce a law that the majority of the population, including many local officials, quietly ignored. The laws were clear by 1647, and public enthusiasm for the ban was virtually non-existent. While the Royalist cause was linked to Christmas, their army was not in a position to protect celebrations during the Protectorate.
Ultimately, the ban was a spectacular failure. It was impossible to police the private homes and hearts of an entire nation. The attempt to suppress Christmas may have even strengthened its association with liberty and tradition in the popular imagination.
The Restoration: Christmas Returns
The Puritan Republic and the ban on Christmas were inextricably linked. When the political experiment failed, so did its associated laws.
When CHRISTMAS WAS CANCELLED. The year CHRISTMAS WAS BANNED. Life without Christmas. History Calling
Let's watch the conclusion of "When CHRISTMAS WAS CANCELLED" to see how the ban was finally lifted.
Please watch from 20:34 to the end (21:34).
In 1660, the monarchy was restored with King Charles II. As one of his first acts, he overturned the Puritan legislation, and Christmas was officially back. The attempt to cancel Christmas had failed.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have chronicled the rise and fall of England's ban on Christmas. We've seen how a political revolution enabled a religious group to codify their beliefs into law, and how that law was met with stubborn popular defiance.
Key Takeaways:
- The ban on Christmas was a direct result of the English Civil War, which gave the Puritan-led Parliament the power to enforce its religious agenda.
- The ban was implemented through a series of laws from 1644 to 1647, progressively outlawing both religious services and secular festivities.
- Oliver Cromwell was a leader during this period and upheld the ban, but the myth that he single-handedly "cancelled Christmas" is inaccurate; it was a parliamentary decision.
- The ban was deeply unpopular and largely unenforceable, meeting with widespread resistance ranging from violent riots to mass passive defiance.
- The ban was officially lifted with the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
With Christmas restored, it resumed its place in the English calendar. However, the holiday would lay culturally dormant for a long time. It would take another two centuries, and another major social transformation, for it to be reinvented into the holiday we recognize today.
In our next lesson, we will leap forward to the 19th century to begin our fifth module, "The Victorian Reinvention of Christmas," and explore the profound impact of one man and one book: Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol.