Christmas

Christmas is illegal! Just over three hundred years ago Christmas was banned in England by order of Oliver Cromwell's parliament, and in Massachusetts it was ruled that "Whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas...shall pay for every such offence five shillings." How did Christmas come to be banned? How did our modern celebrations develop? This primary source portfolio traces the history of the customs, ceremonies, folklore and the traditional foods, gifts and games which go to make up our present-day Christmas festivities, and recreates the very spirit of Christmas. This portfolio includes a Study Guide with reproducible student activities.
12 Primary Source Documents:
* Christus Natus Est, a Christmas Broadsheet published in 1631
* A Parliamentary Proclamation of 1652 forbidding the celebration of Christmas
* Verses for the Year 1831, a broadside given out by a London watchman to solicit Christmas gifts
* The Christmas Play of Sr. George and the Dragon, 1833
* The first Christmas card, issued in 1843
* Toby Tote and Christmas Pudding, a card game of 1845
* Polichinelle et Arlequin, Punch and Harlequin for a puppet Harlequinade
* Queen Vicotoria's Christmas Tree, 1848, as described and illustrated in the Illustrated London News
* Christmas Gambols, a broadside of 1823 with verses and Character Cards for Twelfth Night games
* Decorations for your Christmas tree
* Crowns for the Twelfth Night King and Queen
* A dragon's mask for the mummers' play of St. George