In 1659, Christmas was banned in Boston as a day of rabble-rousing and debauchery.
This Christian festival to mark the birth of Jesus may be synonymous with family, homemade cookies, and lots of presents now, but at one time, people used to take advantage of a day off from work to engage in public drunkenness and other behaviors the Puritan founders of Boston found unsavory. As such, anyone found celebrating Christmas instead of working on December 25 would be fined 5 shillings (around $50 in today’s money). Since the law was repealed in 1681, we here at Massachusetts-based IHS Headquarters are relieved to be legally allowed to share the ‘Tis the Season Holiday Collection with you to help celebrate.
