did the puritans celebrate christmas

The Puritans, a group of Christians who split off from the Church of England in the 16th century, did not celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense. They believed that Christmas was a pagan holiday that had been adopted by the Catholic Church, and they rejected many of the traditions associated with the holiday, such as the exchange of gifts and the celebration of Santa Claus. Instead, they focused on more spiritual aspects of the holiday, such as reading the Bible and attending church services.