The fascinating history of how Christmas was once outlawed in America

Historian William Federer unravels the history of how Christmas was illegal during the settling of America. The troubles started in England during the reign of Henry VIII, who had recently converted to Protestantism but hosted wild parties during the Christmas season, similar to modern-day Mardi Gras. The Puritans, Pilgrims, and Presbyterians, who had fled England for their conservative views, decided to outlaw Christmas in the colonies because it “offended their conscience.” But Dutch, German, and French settlers brought Christmas traditions to America and those customs persist to this day.