The original celebration of Christmas in the United States varied greatly depending on the time period, region, and cultural influences. In the early days of European colonization, Christmas was not universally celebrated and was often met with skepticism or outright rejection by some groups.
Early Observances and Rejection of Christmas
1. Puritan New England:
The Puritans, who dominated early New England, rejected Christmas due to its associations with Catholicism and perceived pagan origins.
In Massachusetts, celebrating Christmas was banned in 1659, and the day was treated like any other workday. This ban was later repealed, but the holiday remained unpopular in the region for some time.
2. Southern Colonies:
In the Southern colonies, Christmas was more widely celebrated, often resembling European traditions with feasting, parties, and religious observances.
Anglican, Catholic, and Lutheran settlers brought traditions from England, Spain, and Germany, including church services, gift-giving, and festive meals.
Evolution of Christmas in the U.S.
1. 19th Century Transformation:
By the early 1800s, Christmas began to transform into a more family-centered holiday. This shift was influenced by writers like Washington Irving and Charles Dickens, whose works romanticized Christmas as a time for generosity, family, and goodwill.
The celebration of St. Nicholas, particularly among Dutch settlers in New York, helped popularize Santa Claus, evolving from the European figure of Sinterklaas.
2. Commercialization and Santa Claus:
The figure of Santa Claus was further developed in the 19th century through the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (1823) and illustrations by artists like Thomas Nast, who gave Santa his now-iconic look.
Department stores began using Santa Claus in their marketing, and gift-giving became a central aspect of the holiday.
3. National Recognition:
Christmas became a federal holiday in the U.S. in 1870, helping to standardize its celebration across the country.
Advances in communication and transportation, along with the influence of mass media, spread Christmas customs widely.
4. Modern Traditions:
By the 20th century, Christmas had become a mix of religious, cultural, and secular traditions.
New elements, such as Christmas trees (popularized by German immigrants), lights, caroling, and community events, were added.
Present-Day Celebration
Today, Christmas in the U.S. is celebrated in diverse ways, reflecting the country's multicultural population. While many observe it as a Christian religious holiday, others celebrate it as a secular holiday centered on family, giving, and festive traditions.
This is an extremely simplistic outline, and I left out many other subject matters around the origins of Christmas and other figures involved. You can do more research on your own. This is not the main purpose of this article.
"Jesus is The Reason for The Season"
This is a statement often proclaimed during this time of year. The last historical reference I want to make regarding Christmas. The date of December 25th as the chosen day of the birth of Jesus, peace be upon him. The earliest recorded celebration of Christmas on December 25th dates back to 336 AD in a Roman almanac, during the reign of Emperor Constantine. This timing suggests that the establishment of this date was influenced by both theological reasoning and the desire to integrate with existing cultural practices. Notably, the Roman festival of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti ("Birthday of the Unconquered Sun") was celebrated on December 25th, marking the winter solstice and the return of longer daylight. Instituted by Emperor Aurelian in 274 AD, this festival honored the sun god Sol Invictus. (Might have some interesting information if you research more into the story of Sol Invictus.)
So, what can we make of the statement “Jesus is the reason for the season”? Without getting too analytical, maybe it is said because that is how many presently perceive it to be because that is how it is presented to most since we were born. Let us remove the religious implications and look at the secular celebration. It is a time when families come together, people become much more cheerful, generosity becomes much more apparent, friends enjoy food festivities and gift giving. Acts of kindness, forgiveness and mercy are promoted on TV and other forms of media.
Many feel that this is a special time of year. You can hear people saying it just feels good. Of course, it is not this way for some, but we can’t deny it is this way for many. What if it feels this way because of the mass amount of people have chosen to make it so? Regardless of specific reasoning behind their belief or actions, a great number of people choose to be kind, compassionate, merciful, generous, forgiving and loving. What would happen if we just chose to strive to be this way everyday simply because these are good virtues to embody? What story do we need to tell ourselves to develop the will to make this a sustainable reality?
We’ve been given a great light within us to influence our reality and experience. Many of us have experienced our ability to do so regardless of truthful or factual basis throughout our life and specifically during this time of year as a society. Could there be a truthful basis that would help us aspire to manifest these qualities from moment to moment? I believe so, matter of fact I know so and it starts with you. You are worth it. Do you know who you are?
The gift of Christmas I’m alluding to is not the actual holiday or stories behind it, but the mechanism that the collective and most individuals employ during this time that can help us arrive at the answer to that last question. Can you see it?
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