The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1929-12-26
PILGRIM FATHERS FROWNED
ON CHRISTMAS

Thanksgiving was the Puritan holiday
in New England and these sturdy people
had little to do with Christmas celebrations,
according to Harrison Barnes, who writes of
early holiday customs in the current issue of
the National Republic. ST. Nicholas was in
troduced to American children by the early
Dutch settlers of New York and the Christ
mas tree custom came from the Rhineland
In writing as to how the Pilgrims thought of
Christmas Mr. Barnes says:
There was no Santa Claus for Pilgrim
children, no Christmas tree, no presents, not
even vacation for those who went to school,
An adult who made bold to celebrate Christ's
birthday either by feasting or abstaining
from labor was guilty of misdemeanor
punishable by fine of five shillings.
''The Puritan hatred for Christmas was
due to two causes. First, it was the princi-
pal holiday of the established church, to
break away from which many of the early
settlers had fled the Old World for the New
Under CromwelPs II years in power, Christ
mas was outlawed in England by act of Par
Lament but with the restoration in 1860, the
holiday was again celebrated with much en-
thusiasm by the merry court of King
Charles II.
THE form taken by the non-Puritan
celebrations in England were particularly
obnoxious to the Pilgrim Fathers who were
determined that there would be in the colon
les no 'wanton Baachanallian Christmasses'
spent in 'reveling, dicing, carding, masking,
mumming, consumed in computations, in in
terludes in excess of wine, in made mirth.'
Participants in 'evermerry Christmasses
were harshly denounced by early chronicles
as fhellhounds' who spent the holidays in
humorous MKT, voluptious, unchristian, that
l say not pagan, dancing, to Gods to Christ's
dishonour, religions scandal, chastie's ship
Wracke and SHINES advantage.
''The first Pilgrim Christmas, 1860, was
spent in hard labor. Governor Bradford re-
cords: The 25th day began to erect the first
house for common use to receive them and
their goods Mourt, another colonist,
speaking of the same occasion, writes Mum
day, the 18th day, we went on shore, some to
fell tymber, some TO saw some to rive, and
some to carry; so no man rested on that
day."
disciplinary measures were resorted
to the following Christmas when number
of the colonists responded to the governors
call to work by declaring themselves con-
oSASAASiNNo oOJSSCo4o
the colonies were founded upon the principle
OF liberty and conscience, Bradford was
obliged to respect an objection based on this
ground and unwillingly excused the object
ors from labor that day.
"The incident was not yet closed, how
ever, for when the governor went home to
his MONDAY meal he came upon the object
ors' playing in the street, pitching the bar,
and some at stoole-ball, and such sports. So
ne went to them, and took away their nipple
ments, and tould them that was against his
conscience, that they should play and make
others worke. If they made the keeping of
it matter of devotion, let them kepe their
houses, but ther should be no gaming or rev.
cling in the Streets This action seems to
have been effective for the governors rec
ords state that Since which time nothing
hath been attempted in that way, at least
openly.