Did Oliver Cromwell Really Ban Christmas? - ProProfs Discuss
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Did Oliver Cromwell Really Ban Christmas?

Asked by R. Jones, Last updated: Apr 11, 2024

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4 Answers

S.Sophie

S.Sophie

S.Sophie
S.Sophie

Answered Jan 16, 2020

The correct answer to this question is Yes. Oliver Cromwell is known for many things. He was a political and English military leader, and he is also known for banning Christmas. Through his leadership, he passed strict laws to ensure that anyone that attended or held a Christmas service.

His reasoning for this was that Christmas was a sin because the Bible did not justify the festivities that were held on Christmas. Cromwell also found the festivities of Christmas to be a waste and popish. In 1660, these laws were abolished by Charles II, who repealed the legislation against Christmas.

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K. Galatia

K. Galatia

K. Galatia
K. Galatia

Answered Jan 02, 2020

Yes, Oliver Cromwell really banned Christmas for a certain period of time. Those who have studied it say that this is probably one of the dourest times at that time. This occurred during the height of the Civil War. People were not allowed to eat a mince pie, which is one of the food products that people usually eat at this time.

They were not allowed to sing Christmas carols too, which is something that a lot of people love doing during Christmas time. People were not pleased, but they did not do anything about it yet. Celebrating Christmas was restored in the year 1660, and a lot of people were probably happy about it.

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N. Jarah

N. Jarah

N. Jarah
N. Jarah

Answered Dec 24, 2019

Oliver Cromwell was a military and political leader in England. It was he, along with the English puritans who banned Christmas in England in 1644. During this time, Cromwell was Lord Protection of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. It was in this era that the English Puritans believed that Christmas was a gluttonous and sinful holiday.

It was filled with drinking, eating, gambling, and behavior, and the Puritans did not approve. This perception was made into law in 1644. The Act of Parliament banned Christmas celebrations. They banned anything and everything to do with Christmas, even the church services.

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M. Delilah

M. Delilah

M. Delilah
M. Delilah

Answered Dec 20, 2019

Oliver Cromwell was an English military leader and also a political leader. He was born in Huntingdon in 1599. Oliver Cromwell served as the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Ireland, and Scotland from 1653 till his death in 1658. Oliver Cromwell is popularly known as the leader that banned Christmas. Strict laws were passed to catch and penalize anyone holding or attending a Christmas church service.

To Oliver Cromwell and his fellows, celebrating Christmas festivities were not only abhorrent but sinful because there was no biblical justification for the festivities. Cromwell saw the celebration of Christmas as wasteful and popish. However, when King Charles II returned to power in 1660, he repealed all the anti-Christmas legislation. This is one of the reasons why it is addressed as “Merry Monarch.”

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