Christmas in Philadelphia



Peter Kalm noted that the Quakers completely dismissed the celebration of Christmas in Philadelphia. He made another interesting observation about the Presbyterians as well. He wrote in his diary:     "Christmas Day. . . .The Quakers did not regard this day any more remarkable than other days. Stores were open, and anyone might sell or purchase what he wanted. . . .There was no more baking of bread for the Christmas festival than for other days; and no Christmas porridge on Christmas Eve! One did not seem to know what it meant to wish anyone a merry Christmas. . . .first the Presbyterians did not care much for celebrating Christmas, but when they saw most of their members going to the English church on that day, they also started to have services."

from a journal written by Peter Kalm, a Swedish traveler in the colonies, and is a description of Christmas Day 1750, in Philadelphia.

"Today Christmas Day was celebrated in the city, but not with such reverence as it is in old Sweden.  On the evening before, the bells of the English Church rang for a long time to announce the approaching Yuletide. In the morning, guns were fired off in various parts of the town.  People went to church, much in the same manner as on ordinary Sundays, both before and after dinner.  This took place only in the English, Swedish and German churches.  The Quakers did not regard this day more remarkable than other days....Nowhere was Christmas celebrated with more solemnity than in the Roman Church."  In Philadelphia, at least, people of other faiths attended the special Christmas services in the Catholic church - largely because of the musical program.  As a naturalist, Kalm delighted in pointing out that the church was decorated with fresh branches of mountain laurel "whose leaves are green in winter time."  The English and traditionally decorated their churches with evergreens during Yuletide, a practice limited to the established church and definitely not followed among the dissenting congregations."

"Nowhere was Christmas Day celebrated with more solemnity than in the Roman Church. Three sermons were preached there, and that which contributed most to the splendor of the ceremony was the beautiful music heard to-day. . . . Pews and altar were decorated with branches of mountain laurel, whose leaves are green in winter time and resemble the (cherry laurel). Lavender, rose petals, and pungent herbs such as rosemary and bay were scattered throughout the churches, providing a pleasant holiday scent. Scented flowers and herbs were chosen partially because they were aromatic and thus were considered an alternative form of incense. The Reverend George Herbert, an Anglican clergyman from Maryland, urged "that the church be swept, and kept clean without dust, or cobwebs, and at great festivals strewed, and stuck with boughs, and perfumed ."



This page updated on January 2, 2011