The Puritan Ban on Christmas in the 1600s, Book Review Example

The battle for Christmas is a social history provided by a university lecturer Stephen Nissenbaum. He states that the celebration started in the fourth century, but in the first and second century it was not celebrated. He argues the bible was not having any date indicating the birth of Jesus, but the church decided to celebrate it after winter. This essay opts to discuss how the celebration helped the poor before the year 1800, and the reasons behind changing the holiday. The research will also provide specific examples of how children locked out their teachers during these festivals and the behavior of slaves in plantations (Nissenbaum, Pg.23).

To start with, this scholar argues that, while a Frenchman was travelling in the late seventeenth century, he came to notice something (Nissenbaum, Pg.59). The man was suggesting instead of giving the presents from a friend to friend or from equal to equal (Nissenbaum, Pg.59). They should be given from the superiors to inferiors. Following the review, this was a notion of charity which conveyed the picture of Christianity to date. The tables are said to be turned for the poor since before these celebrations, they were subjected to hard labor and owing of goods to the rich (Nissenbaum, Pg.59).

This was the difference between them and the rich, of which they were lifted when the Christmas celebrations began. Through the study carried out, it is evident that the poor were marched in houses and halls where they would receive gifts of food, drink, and sometimes money as well. This did not only involve being gifted, but it included the performance of songs and drinking that articulated the structure of the exchange. The typical song which was sung and is known to date is wassail which possessed an aggressive edge often an explicit threat. Though the poor were gifted during Christmas, the misrule did not end but tolerated further.

There have been questions on how Christmas celebrations have changed over the centuries. The reason for this could be drunkenness which was viewed as a way of celebrating. This was in disrespect with Christian doctrines. Due to this, people started celebrating it on their own from the start of the 19^th century. Each family, for example, chose their way of celebrating in their communities. Although in the Second World War the Christmas lights were discouraged, they live to be put on during these holidays. It also changed for commercial purposes where radio stations and televisions programs featured Christmas themed episodes (Nissenbaum, Pg.129). Another commercial use was selling of Christmas trees and cards to send to family and friends.

This behavior of drunkenness which was discovered by historians, Peter Burke and Natalie Davis was thought to end, but it is even shocking even to date. This behavior was said to have been contributed by doing the celebrations in public but for the study carried out this is just a mindset of people that views it as party time. This discovery is said to have the basis of the battle for Christmas, which the author Stephen finds points to argue about.

In the year 1702, when the Christmas holiday was termed as a slavery holiday, students were very aggressive when it came to school attendance. In America, a grammar school in Williamsburg missed a shot to the schoolmaster when they barricaded the schoolhouse firing pistols. The schoolmaster explains how that fortnight before Christmas he heard great nails fastening the doors of the school. When he woke to see the matter the school servant was shot in the eye as the student had tried to fire the headmaster (Nissenbaum, Pg.77). This practice continued in the United States throughout the 18^th and 19^th century.

Newsboys in this context are off-topic since they are depicted to be the source of disorder. This to the researchers’ views, this was just envy of the rich since the newsboys were said to come from poor backgrounds. It is evident they were nicknamed as homeless due to their numerous movements to the theatre night after night. The newsboys made the newspapers cheap for everyone since there was much oppression of the poor during those times. In the old south, it was much better in sticking to the doctrines of the church. This is because of how in the plantations people crowded of all sorts to celebrate Christmas together (Nissenbaum, Pg.123).

In conclusion, though there are bitter past experiences about this holiday, churches teach about forgiveness. These challenges happen to date, like drunkenness and oppression of the poor, though different ways, unlike in those slave holidays. As earlier stated the date of birth of Jesus is not pointed out in the bible, but there is a perception that during the times of Roman emperor Constantine, it was put on December 25 due to winter solstice. This essay discussed the change of Christmas and explained how the poor gained in the practice of the Christmas holiday. It is also recommendable the dates to remain to honor the birth of Jesus.

Works Cited

Nissenbaum, Stephen. The Battle for Christmas. Vintage, 2010.