ade it mater of
conscience, he would spare them till they were better informed. So he
led away ye rest and left them, but when they came home at noone from
their worke, he found them in ye streete at play, openly, some
pitching ye bair, and some at stoole-ball, and shuch-like sports. So
he went to them and tooke away their implements, and tould them that
was against his conscience, that they should play and others worke. If
they made ye keeping of it mater of devotion, let them kepe their
houses, but ther should be no gameing or revelling in ye streets.
Since which time nothing had been attempted that way, at least
openly." And thus ended the last attempt at Christmas observance
during Governor Bradford's many terms of office.

The Massachusetts Colony that arrived in 1630, and settled in and
around Boston, believed that Christ's mission on earth as the Saviour
of man was too serious a one to be celebrated by the fallen race. He
came to save; they considered it absolutely wicked for any one to be
lively and joyous when he could not know whether or no he was doomed
to everlasting punishment. Beside that, jollity often led to serious
results. Were not the jails of Old England full to repletion the day
after Christmas? It was wisest, they thought, to let the day pass
unnoticed. And so only occasionally did any one venture to remember
the fact of its occurrence. Among the men and women who came across
the ocean during succeeding years there must have been many who
differed from the first colony in regard to Christmas, for in May,
1659, the General Court of Massachusetts deemed it necessary to enact
a law: "That whosoever shall be found observing any such day as
Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labour, feasting, or
any other way, upon any such accounts as aforesaid, shall be subjected
to a fine of five shillings."

For upward of twenty-two years it remained unlawful in Massachusetts
to have a merry Christmas. There were no pretty gifts on that day to
make happy little God-be-thanked, Search-the-scriptures, Seek-wisdom,
Prudence, Hope, or Charity. However, Santa Claus had emissaries abroad
in the land. In December, 1686, Governor Andros, an Episcopalian, and
a representative of the King, brought about the first concession in
favor of the day. He believed in celebrating Christmas and intended
to hold appropriate services. The law enacted by Parliament in June,
1647, abolishing the observance of the day, had bee