The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-12-23
GAY CHRISTMAS
DAY ONCE UNDER
BLUE LAWS BAN
Festivities Forbidden in
Massachusetts and Con-
neCtiCut Centuries Ago.

neCtiCut Centuries Ago.
BB YEA Scrrice
BOSTON, Mass, Dec. 23.-The old
time blue laws tLat sternfaced
colonial forefathers liked so much
are experiencing a revival.
Only a few days ago a hundred
people were arrested in a New Jer-
sey town for violation of a moth
eaten statute about Sabbath observ-
ance.
A century-old law kept the Ses-
quicentennial Exposition at Philadel-
phia closed on Sunday.
These laws may seem rather
harsh nowadays. But Massachusetts
and Connecticut, a little more than
two centuries ago, had a blue law
that puts all the rest OF these to
shame-a law that forbade the OBJ
servance in any way whatever of
Christmas!
Five-Shilling Fine
The Massachusetts, law provided a
fine of five shillings for any. person.
who celebrated Christmas "either By
forebearing Of labor, feasting, or any
way" In Connecticut possession of
a sprig of holly on Christmas made
one liable to Imprisonment in the
stocks.
The early American colonies got
over this dour attitude largely
through the influence Of the jovial
Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam.
The Dutch. with their celebration of
the festival of Kris Kringle (the
Christ Child, made Christmas a mer-
ry holiday, and in the end this view
prevailed over the New England at
titude. SO the old Massachusetts and
Connecticut laws were eventually re-
pealed.
Probably those blue laws will
never be revived. But they are
worth studying by reason of their
contrast to the present attitude
toward Christmas.
Celebration of Christmas was
originally looked on with a good
deal of suspicion by devout Chris
tian folk. This is because the holi-
day was based, in the first place, on
a pagan ceremony.
That statement sounds almost I'M
believable. Christmas seems pre-.
eminently a Christian holiday.
To begin with, exact date of
Christ's nativity is unknown. In
the early days of the church some
celebrated it in spring; others in
January. 1t is pointed out that
Dec. 20 falls lin the middle of the
rainy season in Judea, when the
shepherds and their flocks would
not have been in the fields all night.
Replaced Roman Feast
The date of Dec. rs was fixed for
Christmas by Pope julius 1 early in
the fourth century. He took this
date largely in order to make the
Christian festival replace the old
Roman Saturnalia, which was cele.
brated at the same time. And it
Is from the Saturnalia that many
or our Christmas customs come.
The Saturnalia was holiday
period. Distinctions of rank were
forgotten. Slaves ate at their mas
ters' tables. All classes exchanged
gifts, and all children were given
little clay dolls. The makers of
those dolls held a regular fair at
this time.
There is part of the origin Of the
holiday customs. Others are found
in other pagan religions.
The old Morse feast of Jul, or YuIe
was a counterpart of the Roman
Saturnalia. From it we get the
custom OF burning the "Yule Log"
The liberal use of candles also is
derived from the Yule ceremony.
Plum pudding became a traditional
feast dish then.
The use Of mistletoe at Christmas
festivals is derived from the ancient
Druids. Mistletoe was believed by
them to be gift from the gods and
to possess magic virtues, and was.
accordingly, given the highest
esteem. In the records of the early
European church we find many
references to the fathers dismay at
the custom of using mistletoe in
celebration of Christmas.
Banned All Celebration
During the Puritan domination
of England Christmas was outlawed.
1t was ordered that the only way in
which the day might be observed
was in prayer and fasting, as a
for the riotous way In
which the day formerly ha dAeen OBJ
served. Soldiers searched suspected
houses to seize holiday food and
gifts. 1t was not until the restora-