Christmas has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870, but it was not a holiday in early America. Celebrating Christmas, in fact, was outlawed in Boston from 1659 to 1681. This was a result of Puritan ideas and religious reform.
Then in the 19th century things began to change. Previously, Christmas celebrations were akin to Mardi Gras celebrations, very rowdy and riotous. However, Christmas celebration began to change for a number of reasons.
First, Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon. Irving thought that Christmas should be a peaceful, loving holiday that brought people of all social and economic status together. Many believe that Irving’s book actually initiated our current traditions, by implying that things were in reality, celebrated as he portrayed.
About the same time Charles Dickens created the now well-known book, A Christmas Carol. The message he offered stressed the importance of charity, benevolence and compassion towards all.
In addition, families were requiring their children to be a bit less disciplined. Christmas allowed parents the opportunity to concentrate on their childrens’ emotional needs a bit more by providing them with gifts and attention.
As Christmas came to be enjoyed more by families, Americans took pieces of other customs, including decorating trees, sending cards, etc. and an American Christmas was born.
(see www.history.com for more information)
The Development of Christmas Traditions