Valley Forge Historical Park, King of Prussia, Pa.
“We arrived at Redding, Connecticut, about Christmas and built huts for our winter quarters. Now came the time between grass and hay, the winter campaign of starving. We struck up fires and lay down to rest our weary bones – all but our jawbones as they had nothing to weary them. We got our huts into such a state of readiness that we moved into them about New Year’s Day.” – Joseph Plumb Martin, writing about December 1778.
Christmas during the American Revolution often came and went as a day on the calendar with few or none accompanying celebrations. The holiday had not gained prominence in the American Colonies or early United States and did not gain the nostalgia and festivities historically associated with it until the mid-19th Century. The observance of Christmas as a holiday and its accompanying Twelve Days depended much on location, religious faith and family tradition rather than a broad cultural acceptance.
In the 17th Century, some of the colonies on the North America continent bannned the observance of Christmas. The Massachusetts Puritans actually outlawed Christmas until 1681, but even then it was not traditional or widely accepted to celebrate religiously or secularly in that region. Other religious faiths of the early colonists also frowned upon the holiday, like the Society of Friends (Quakers) or denominations with strong Calvinist backgrounds. Colonies settled with Anglican (Church of England) religious influences tended to allow or encourage Christmas festivities. Generally, Christmas was typically not celebrated in New England, had mixed celebrations in the middle colonies – depending on community faith and tradition – and was more widely observed in the southern colonies upper and middle classes.
For the colonies or communities that celebrated Christmas, their traditions mixed with religious and social activities. Following church tradition, December 25 marks the birth of Jesus Christ and January 6 (Epiphany Day) ends the twelve days with a commemoration of the Magi’s arrival to see the baby. In English tradition, the Twelve Days included a festive atmosphere with hanging greenery, special foods, long visits from or to family and friends, dances, fox hunts, music, and other activities. Gift-giving was not a widespread tradition, though some families gave small presents on New Year’s Day. German communities had traditions of Belsnickel and St. Nicholas was remembered but the legends of, Santa Claus did not make their way into Christmas culture until the 19th Century. Similarly, while Christmas trees may have occasionally been part of German settlers’ festivities, Christmas trees did not become popular until the mid-19th Century in Britain and the United States.
For communities that celebrated, visits to family and friends, dances, dinners, fox hunts, cannon or gun salutes, and religious services filled the season. George Washington often noted visitors to Mount Vernon and fox hunting in his diary during the Twelve Days. Thomas Jefferson described Christmas 1762 as "the day of greatest mirth and jollity." John Adams noted Christmas Day occasionally in his writings as a calendar reference, but did not record any particular celebrations, probably because of his New England region’s traditions.
“Christmas Day” was a calendar reference in business transactions. The Virginia Gazette, a newspaper in the colonial capital city of Williamsburg, printed some Christmas holiday poetry or essays occasionally, but there are more business notices connected to the day. Leases on land or upcoming sales that would be completed “by Christmas Day”, for example.
Christmas Day had a dark, sorrowful history for many people in enslaved communities since that calendar date was often when enslaved people were leased or rented at other plantations or businesses and sent away from their families. Some plantation, farm or business owners allowed enslaved people to take a couple “days off” around Christmas if the harvest was completed. However, enslaved servants in house, stables, or kitchen often had additional work with more visitors, dinners and parties.
During the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), American, French, British and Hessian troops had different holidays. The American Continental Army brought together regiments from various states with their different celebration or ignoring Christmas, and the holiday and Twelve Days was not wide celebrated. However, many American soldiers noted Christmas Day in their diaries or letters as a calendar date and usually around the time they were seeking or building winter quarters. For example, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Dearborn wrote in his diary in 1778, “[December] 24th - we had a snow Last night & very Sevear Cold to Day.—our men are well Cloath’d & well Hutted.— Christmas Day. the weather is so very Cold we take but very little notice of the Day.” In 1779 – one of the coldest, severe winters endured by the Continental Army, Lieutenant E. Beatty of the 4th Pennsylvania wrote to his brother about his Christmas activities: “I am just down from Dinner about half Drunk, all dined upon good roast & boiled [beef], but in a Cold hut, however grog enough will keep out cold for which there is no Desiring, tomorrow we all dine at one with the Colonel, which will be another excellent dinner and I think you may call that fair living, but Ah! I am afraid it wont last many Days.”
When France allied with the United States, French officers and soldiers arrived on American shores, bringing more traditions of Christmas merriment to their camps. For the Christmases of 1780 to 1783, French officers hosted grand dinners and the common soldiers enjoyed special celebrations, too. Like their American allies, the French enjoyed sporting during holidays and took part in hunts and sleigh rides. The army under Count de Rochambeau’s command arrived in Williamsburg, Virginia, following the victory at Yorktown in 1781, and they stayed for several months, including the Christmas season. Rochambeau had a Te Deum Mass observed in Williamsburg on Christmas Day and then paraded the troops through the town and fired salutes. To finish the day, Rochambeau hosted a gala with a banquet and dance for his officers and the local residents.
British soldiers trying to subdue the rebellious colonies arrived with their own ways of keeping Christmas. Usually celebrating with religious observances and good food, drink and dancing if it was possible. For example, John Peebles, an officer in the 42nd Regiment, wrote about Christmas in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1776: “Clear frosty weather . . . The Companys went to the Parade as usual when word came there was to be no General Parade today, sent home the comys—went to Church & hear’d a very good sermon inculcating peace among men—a very neat Church wt, a handsome organ the gift of Dr. Berkley Bishop of Cloyne [Ireland], a good many Inhabitants in church some decent looking People & the women tolerably well dress’d for Yanky’s—The Eveng. Cloudy, visited the Barracks as usual, pretty quiet considering it is Christmas.” [spelling original] Hessian soldiers hired from German states arrived in North America to fight alongside the British. Writings of these soldiers also reflect celebrating Christmas with religious services and enjoying good food, drink and secure winter quarters when possible.
A detachment of Hessian soldiers became the target of General Washington’s attack on the morning of December 26, 1776. Expecting Christmas to relax their watchfulness, Washington order his soldiers to cross the Delaware River and launch a surprise attack at Trenton, New Jersey. Later, rumors and ever-growing stories appeared that the Hessians were drunk, but most historians do not find evidence for this excessive indulgence among the majority of the troops. The Crossing of the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton marked important moments for the American cause during the Revolutionary War and are tied to Christmas by date and legend.
Like many individuals who wanted to celebrate Christmas with their families during the Revolutionary years, George Washington wrote to his friend Robert Morris on December 25, 1776: “I hope the next Christmas will prove happier than the present to you…” In the decades beyond the American Revolution, the celebration of Christmas would evolve, and by the 1860s and the American Civil War, soldiers in blue and gray would be reimagining what Christmas meant to name, communities and individuals.
