Christmas is one of the biggest events of the year in the US, with months leading up to a frenzy of Christmas decorations, feasts, and plenty of good cheer.
But before gift-giving, Santa Claus, and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” the festive season was not widely embraced.
The Puritans in Massachusetts even made it illegal in the 1600s. In fact, anyone who celebrated Christmas was fined five shillings. Now, that’s not festive at all, is it?
Some states, like Virginia and Maryland, didn’t even observe the holiday.
So, how did the US go from banning Christmas to celebrating it to the extremes? Let’s get into it!
What is the true meaning of Christmas?
Christmas is a Christian holiday generally celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.
For practicing Christians, Christmas is a day for attending church services and reflecting on the birth of Christ.
For others, Christmas is more of a cultural holiday than a religious one, filled with presents and feasting.
Unsurprisingly, the term “Christmas” originates from Christ’s name. It is a shortened form for “Mass of Christ,” which refers to the holy act of worship.
Notably, some countries celebrate the occasion on a different date. For example, Orthodox Christians, typically found in Eastern Europe, observe Christmas on January 7.
The reason for this is that Orthodox Christians use the Julian calendar, which is a few days out from the traditional calendar we use every day.
When it comes to observing Christmas around the world, Italy has been celebrating it since the 4th century.
That’s a lot of Christmases! In contrast, it took the United States almost fifteen more centuries to get into the festive spirit.
When did the USA truly start to embrace Christmas?
When the Massachusetts ban was lifted in 1681, Christmas in the States wasn’t celebrated with much enthusiasm.
So, how did Christmas become popular in the US? Well, during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865, US Christmas traditions began to develop.
The new customs, reinforcing the importance of home and family, brought a sense of unity during a challenging time for citizens.
Americans then began reinventing Christmas for themselves, and on June 26, 1870, Christmas was declared a federal holiday.
Washington Irving’s stories in The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., released in 1819, and Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, originally published in 1843, influenced many of the modern Christmas celebrations in America.
For example, Irving wrote that Christmas should be a warm-hearted holiday that brings people from all walks of life together.
Meanwhile, Dickens’ novel highlights important values such as goodwill and compassion.
Other cultures also influenced Christmas in America. For instance, German migrants brought the custom of setting up and decorating Christmas trees.
Over time, Christmas evolved into a commercialized phenomenon, with festive decorations popping up across the country and holiday shopping gaining popularity.
Meanwhile, Santa Claus became an iconic character, especially with children.
How do Americans celebrate Christmas today?
Today, the United States has various different Christmas traditions because of the country’s diverse culture.
For instance, Americans will typically eat roast turkey or ham for their traditional Christmas meal.
On the other hand, Italian-American families do things a little differently by having a variety of fish dishes.
When it comes to beverages, eggnog is a popular choice for Americans during the festive period.
Americans have many other annual traditions, including gift-giving and leaving milk and cookies out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.
These include attending church services, sending out Christmas cards, carol singing, and lighting up their homes with festive decorations.
Interestingly, Americans often put a Christmas Pickle (a glass ornament shaped like a pickle that was first sold in the 1880s) on their Christmas trees.
Nowadays, some families have a tradition of hiding the pickle on their trees. Why? Because the first person to find it is rewarded with an additional present!
From being on Massachusetts’ naughty list to sitting on top of the tree as a commercialized phenomenon, Christmas in the United States has had quite the sleigh ride!
However, it wasn’t until the American Civil War that the US really took up Christmas wholeheartedly.
The focus on home and loved ones amid the war ultimately fostered unity and forever transformed the way the holiday is celebrated.
So the next time the festive season rolls around, you’ll now have a stocking full of knowledge and understanding of how Christmas came to be in the United States.
