When Christmas Was Outlawed

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  ¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  Luke 2:15-18 NIV

If you read the title of today’s devotion, you’re probably saying “you’re not surprised, with all the push back against Christianity and its holidays.” But I believe you will be surprised to know it was the Christian leaders in early America. You read that correctly, The First Puritan leaders in America viewed Christmas celebrations as unholy. Their second governor, William Bradford, wrote that he tried his best to stamp out the “pagan mockery” of the observance of Christmas penalizing any frivolity. By 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts enacted a law making any observance of December 25 a penal offense; people were fined for hanging decorations. All this because some of the symbols used to celebrate the Winter Solstice was adopted by Christians to show people who the true hope is, the person of Jesus Christ.

Finally in the 19th Century with the influx of German and Irish immigrants were the laws overturned and Christmas became one of the most celebrated Christian holidays. And thanks to the Moravians and Pennsylvania Germans the celebrations remained Christ focused, especially in our area. Sadly however, so many still don’t know the main reason for the celebration the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Today the reason is because the church has largely swung to the other extreme and hasn’t told the world the true meanings of the symbols we use at Christmas.

But what if we did? What if we chose to share with others why the colors of Christmas are red, green and white. What the lights signify and why do we use evergreen trees and branches. The beauty of our Savior and Lord that is found in the Christmas flowers, so that when they see them they would see Jesus, and what He accomplished for us when we eat a Candy Cane. Why not try it? The Puritan practices hindered people from hearing the Christmas story and celebrating the birth of the Savior of the world. So let’s become more like the shepherds that first Christmas and tell everyone that will listen that everywhere they look at Christmas, they can see Jesus and come to know the true Hope of Christmas.