Do you want a colonial Christmas? What Colony?

A sign in our Allegany Store:

Did you know?

In the 1600s through early 1700s Christmas was not celebrated in New England, but it was celebrated in Colonial Virginia.


Want more details? From Colonial Williamsburg

"Was Christmas celebrated throughout all the colonies?

No. The celebration of Christmas was outlawed in most of New England. Calvinist Puritans and Protestants abhorred the entire celebration and likened it to pagan rituals and Popish observances. In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts forbade, under the fine of five shillings per offense, the observance "of any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forebearing of labour, feasting, or any such way." The Assembly of Connecticut, in the same period, prohibited the reading of the Book of Common Prayer, the keeping of Christmas and saints days, the making of mince pies, the playing of cards, or performing on any musical instruments. These statutes remained in force until they were repealed early in the nineteenth century. In 1749, Peter Kalm noted that the Quakers completely dismissed the celebration of Christmas in Philadelphia...."

But in Virginia it was celebrated. Again from Colonial Williamsburg:

"What was common, however, was the "sticking of the Church" with green boughs on Christmas Eve. Garlands of holly, ivy, mountain laurel, and mistletoe were hung from the church roof, the walls, and the church pillars and galleries. The pews and the pulpit, and sometimes the altar, were bedecked with garlands."

and still more on Christmas in Colonial Virginia:

"Williamsburg shopkeepers of the eighteenth century placed ads noting items appropriate as holiday gifts, but New Year's was as likely a time as December 25 for bestowing gifts. Cash tips, little books, and sweets in small quantities were given by masters or parents to dependents, whether slaves, servants, apprentices, or children. It seems to have worked in only one direction: children and others did not give gifts to their superiors. Gift-giving traditions from several European countries also worked in this one-way fashion; for example, St. Nicholas filled children's wooden shoes with fruit and candy in both old and New Amsterdam. (Eventually, of course, "stockings hung by the chimney with care" replaced wooden shoes.) We must attribute the exchange of gifts among equals and from dependents to superiors to good old American influences. Both twentieth-century affluence and diligent marketing has made it the norm in the last fifty years or so."

Note the links are different, but are both from History.org (the Colonial Williamsburg site.

I would like to make an objection to the widely held view (even in the above post), that marketing and commercialization is a new issue. For instance, by the 1880s, Christmas sales were well established even in WNY!

From NYGenWeb (I.e. Rootsweb)

The Friendship Chronicle, Vol. 1, No. 45, December 15, 1880

"Now that the political boom is ended and the tariff question settled, we propose opening a righteous holiday boom, and will for the next 30 days sell more goods and for less money than any other house in Allegany or Cattaraugus counties. Remember the great Boston Clothing House lately opened at No. 6 Palmers block, Cuba, N.Y., is busy receiving fine goods adapted to the holiday season, consisting of a line of the latest style overcoats, business and dress suits. We are also supplied with an elegant line of gents' furnishing goods, rich silk handkerchiefs of an endless variety, and a full line of the latest style hats and caps, also very fine scotch caps for winter wear. Come one, come all, and save all you can. Bear in mind that you can save from 25 to 30 per cent on every dollar invested at the Boston Clothing House lately opened at No. 6, Palmer's Block, opposite the Cuba National Bank, Cuba, N.Y."

and that was in 1880!