Click Here to Return To Milestones-Volume 12 Number 4 - Winter 1987
Scrooge wasn't the only person who felt that Christmas was "humbug." Dickens' fictional character would have had some lively competition as the "world's meanest man" from some of America's early settlers particularly William Bradford and Cotton Mather.
Bradford, the second governor of the Puritan colony in Massachusetts, opposed any form of Christmas celebration because of the prevalent, severe puritanical attitudes toward any type of "frivolous" celebrations. It was not until the latter part of the 17th century that these restrictions were relaxed.
Cotton Mather, the noted clergyman and author, carried Bradford's policies a step further several decades later when he denounced Christmas as a "popish" holiday. Among the abuses cited by Mather were reveling, dicing, carding, masking and mummering."
All was not grim, however. In contrast to the New England colonies, the early Dutch settlers in New York celebrated Christmas with the feast of St. Nicholas on Dec. 6 and for another three days later in the month. Businesses closed for general festivities, churches were decorated and elaborate services were designed specifically for the holidays.
Although several religious groups did not observe the occasion, the Lutheran, Episcopalian and Catholic churches celebrated the season to the fullest.
In the South, largely populated by English, French and Germans, the ancient customs of caroling, mummering, feasting, hunting and lighting firecrackers became another tradition of the new America.
In 1836, Alabama became the first state to declare Christmas a legal holiday. Louisiana and Arkansas followed in 1838. The South celebrated Christmas even during the Civil War.
Although the 1848 Christmas tree of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert was reported in the press as a fantasy decoration of fancy cakes, eggs filled with sweetmeats, gilt gingerbread and lighted wax tapers, the fashion leaders in New York turned to beautiful glass-blown Christmas tree ornaments when they became available several years later.
The expert glass blowers of the German towns of Lauscha had developed a technique for blowing exquisite hollow forms in the shapes of angels, animals, fruits and vegetables, household objects and charms. These ornaments were all in miniature and handpainted.
As the custom has flourished, so has the beauty and glitter of the lighting and ornaments. According to the National Ornament & Electric Light Association (NOEL) - an industry group of manufacturers, importers and distributors of Christmas lights and ornaments - Christmas will be celebrated this year with 50 million light sets and 500 million ornaments decorating the trees of America.