Christmas was celebrated very differently throughout the early Colonies in America.
I hope you have been enjoying my series on the history of Christmas in Western Europe as much as I have enjoyed writing it! This week’s article shifts focus to the Christmas traditions in Colonial America. Even though the Pilgrims are famed for establishing Thanksgiving, they went as far as to outlaw Christmas during the 17th Century. In the Mid-Atlantic colonies, Christmas flourished, as settlers brought over traditions from “Merrie Olde England.” Immigrants from Eastern Europe brought their own traditions to areas of Pennsylvania and the Carolinas. And of course, no history of Colonial Christmas customs would be complete with out a mention of the Dutch settlers and Sinter Klass. Be on the lookout for a companion article that specifically discusses the evolution of Santa Clause in the 19th and 20th centuries, coming in the next few weeks.
Other articles in the works include Christmas in Austria and Christmas in Merry Old England, which focuses on holiday traditions under the Tudors, Stuarts and later Cromwell and his Roundheads.
For those not in the Christmas Spirit this early in the season, I am also continuing my series on Prussia and German Unification, so check back for articles on those topics.
As always, thanks for stopping by!
