In the year 1652 Christmas Day in England was officially cancelled. The Puritans ruled the country and they strongly disapproved of keeping any day special except Sunday, "the Lord's Day". So they passed an Act of Parliament to cancel Christmas 1652, and to show they meant it, they decided that Parliament would sit just as on any other day of the year. Everything was banned - from mince pies to church attendance.
John Evelyn, the diarist, defied the ban and went with his wife to church. He recorded what happened. As they were receiving communion a party of musketeers broke in. They waited till the service was over then arrested the worshippers. They soon let them go however, unsure how to punish people for going to church.
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