đź“…This fact may be outdated
The fact is historically accurate - Christmas WAS illegal in Massachusetts from 1659-1681. However, the present tense phrasing ('it was illegal') requires clarification that this is no longer the case. The ban was repealed in 1681, and Christmas became a state holiday in Massachusetts in 1856.
In 1659, it was illegal to celebrate Christmas in Massachusetts.
When Christmas Was Outlawed in Massachusetts
On May 11, 1659, the Massachusetts Bay Colony did something that would make Ebenezer Scrooge proud: they made Christmas illegal. The General Court passed the "Penalty for Keeping Christmas" law, declaring that anyone caught observing the holiday "by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way" would be slapped with a 5-shilling fine.
For the next 22 years, Christmas cheer could literally cost you.
The Puritans vs. Santa Claus
The Puritans weren't being cruel—they genuinely believed Christmas was ungodly. Their reasoning was threefold: First, nowhere in the Bible does it say to celebrate Jesus's birth on December 25th. Second, they viewed Christmas as a pagan festival that Catholics had co-opted without scriptural authority. Third, the rowdy celebrations of the 1600s—complete with drinking, feasting, and "wassailing" (where poor folks demanded gifts from the rich)—struck them as the opposite of pious behavior.
To the Puritans, celebrating Christmas was basically spiritual malpractice.
What Could Get You Fined
- Skipping work on December 25th
- Eating a special feast
- Any form of merriment whatsoever
- Decorating or gift-giving
Basically, if you acknowledged Christmas existed, you were breaking the law. The fine of 5 shillings was substantial—roughly equivalent to a day's wages for a skilled craftsman.
The Ban's Demise
In 1681, England's King Charles II had had enough of Massachusetts's quirky theocratic rules. Under pressure from royal commissioners demanding the colony's laws align with England's, the General Court reluctantly repealed the Christmas ban. But don't think Christmas suddenly became popular—Puritans continued viewing the holiday with suspicion for over a century.
Christmas didn't become an official state holiday in Massachusetts until 1856—nearly 200 years after the ban was lifted and 80 years after American independence.
The Irony
Massachusetts went from banning Christmas to becoming home to some of America's most beloved holiday traditions. Today, Boston hosts massive Christmas celebrations, ice skating on the Common, and the famous tree lighting ceremonies. The state that once fined you for saying "Merry Christmas" now can't get enough of the holiday.
It's a reminder that even the most rigid social rules can change—and that today's controversial celebration might be tomorrow's cherished tradition.