MelissaA
Brenton
Shilpa Karhik
Christmas Bans and Legalities
December 21st 2006 00:25
His complaint? With so many people sending so many home-made Christmas cards, he had to employ sixteen extra postmen for the city!
Commercially made Christmas cards were not available at the time and the postmaster had written "I don't know what we'll do if this keeps on."
His solution to the problem? He wanted to limit by law the number of cards a person could send!
* In Britain, the Holy Days and Fasting Days Act of 1551, which to the best of my knowledge has not as yet been repealed, states that everyone must attend a Christian church service on Christmas Day, and must not use any kind of vehicle to get to the service.
* In 1647, the English parliament passed a law making Christmas festivities and parties illegal. Christmas carols were also banned.
The reason? Oliver Cromwell, the Puritan leader who was in power at the time considered feasting and revelry, on such a holy day, to be immoral. The only celebration allowed was a sermon and a prayer service.
The ban lasted up until 1660 by which time, the Puritans had lost power.
* In Finland and Sweden an old tradition prevails, whereby the 12 days of Christmas are declared to be time of civil peace by law. A person committing crimes during this time would suffer a much harsher sentence than under normal circumstances.
* In 1907, Oklahoma became the last US state to declare Christmas a legal holiday.
* Theodore Roosevelt, banned Christmas trees in his home, even when he became president and moved into the White House. His children however, were sneaky enough to smuggle them into their bedrooms.
* And much more recently in 1996, Christmas caroling was banned at two major malls in Pensacola, Florida. They were banned after shoppers and shop owners complained that the carolers were too loud and took up too much space.
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Comment by Adele
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Those Florida mall grinches!
Comment by katyzzz
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I love the carollers.
katyzzz
Comment by LaurenD
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Comment by Lily
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Merry Christmas MelissaA * *
~Lily
Comment by MelissaA
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