Banned In Boston / myLot

Boise, Idaho

December 26, 2022 5:44pm CST

I can't imagine not having Christmas but back in the 17th century it was banned in Boston. The Puritans had a very stringent look at the Bible. They felt there was no basis found there for celebrating Christmas. So from 1659 until 1681, it was illegal to observe Christmas in Boston. Luckily their views began to weaken and the holiday ban was lifted in 1681. That's a lot of years without Christmas. Can you imagine?

6 people like this

3 responses

Kharla Jolly

@kobesbuddy (78833)

• East Tawas, Michigan

27 Dec 22

I wonder what their human reasoning was, for this extreme measure. Puritans also burnt people at the stake, pretty extreme!

2 people like this

Kelli M

@spiderdust (14756)

• San Jose, California

27 Dec 22

The Puritans banned Christmas observances in England too. They believed that celebration was a distraction from religious piety and that the usual Christmas traditions were closer to idolatry than Christianity. They abolished Easter celebrations too, for the same reasons.

celticeagle

@celticeagle (189793)

• Boise, Idaho

28 Dec 22

They had some crazy ideas. No human reasoning. No distractions. Heaven forbid. Might as well live in a convent.

1 person likes this

Kelli M

@spiderdust (14756)

• San Jose, California

28 Dec 22

@celticeagle They would have considered convents too Catholic, and therefore wrong.