You’ve heard of the 12 Days of Christmas, but have you heard of the 12 Bizarre Laws of Christmas? It turns out our merry holiday stocking is stuffed full of bizarre laws, some of which were lifted long ago, but many of which are still in force today. Jeff GOULD Law, the Attorney In YOUR Corner, is there for you during the holidays and every day, so we wanted to ensure you don’t spend your gift money on fines or your cookie-baking time in jail!
Table of Contents
1. Stay Ahead of The (Snowball) Curve
A good snowball fight is one of the greatest joys of winter and a beloved pastime during a White Christmas. However, if you’re in Provo, Utah, it’s a game you’ll have to pass on. The city has a law prohibiting throwing snowballs within the city limits. This law is part of the city’s “Throwing Missiles” section of the Provo Code. It states that anyone who throws a snowball or other missile that hits someone, breaks a window, damages or destroys property: they are making travel dangerous, frightening and annoying. The fine for playing this winter “sport” is $50.
2. The Reindeer Law
You better not cry, you better not pout, you better not hunt Santa’s reindeer if you live in the United Kingdom. The 1831 Game Act made it an offense to “kill or take any game, or use any dog, gun, net or other engine or instrument for the purpose of killing or taking any game, on a Sunday or Christmas Day.” This law continues in the UK to this day.
3. Total Fake Out
New York is the city that never sleeps…and it’s also the city where you’ll never see a real tree in a retail store because New York law designates natural trees as a fire hazard. The same goes for apartment building common areas. In Philadelphia, real trees are banned in high-rise buildings or any building that houses more than two families.
4. The Tree Tax
Speaking of Christmas trees, in 2011, the United States very briefly enacted a 15-cent tax on the sale of every real Christmas tree. The purpose of the tax was to fund a marketing program to improve the image of natural Christmas trees (similar to the “Got Milk?” and “The Incredible Edible Egg” campaigns). However, general uproar caused the Obama administration to quickly rescind the effort.
5. Feliz Navidad
According to Investopedia, there is a law in Mexico that requires businesses to pay all of their employees a Christmas bonus, also known as an “aguinaldo.” Payment of the Aguinaldo must be made no later than December 20, and companies that fail to do so lay themselves open to fines that could be as much as 315 times the legal daily minimum wage. Costa Rica, Italy, France, Chile, and Brazil have similar laws.
6. A Little Less Merry in Arkansas
If you live in Arkansas, you’ll want to stock up on your favorite holiday cocktail and eggnog ingredients well in advance. To this day, the sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on Christmas Day. This includes liquor stores, grocery stores, restaurants, and bars. That’s not to say you can’t enjoy a beverage in the privacy of your own home on Christmas, but if you want to do so, you’ll have to make sure you’re stocked before Christmas arrives.
7. You Better Not Lose Your Receipt
If you live in Michigan and want a freshly cut Christmas tree, be prepared to retain the receipt. According to MCL Section 324.52901, it is illegal to transport a Christmas tree, evergreen boughs, or other wild trees if you don’t have proof of purchase. Doing so will result in a misdemeanor.
8. No Candy Canes from Santa Here
In Nebraska in 2018, an elementary school principal banned candy canes because “historically, the shape [of the candy cane] is a ‘J’ for Jesus. The red is for the blood of Christ, and the white is a symbol of his resurrection.” Also banned: anything suggestive of the religious notions of Christmas (including reindeer, Elf on the Shelf, and anything red and green).
9. The Three Reindeer Rule
Lynch v. Donnelly was a 1984 Supreme Court case that established what is often satirically referred to as the “Three Reindeer Rule.” The case ruled that any Christmas display on government property should not violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause and, therefore, also needed to include secular elements. For example, Three Wise Men? You better include three reindeer as well.
10. Here Comes Santa Claus? Not on my watch
Dressing up as Santa Claus in the UK could land you a hefty fine. Rule 97 of the Highway Code discourages wearing costumes that could impair driving. Drivers face fines of up to £5,000 for Christmas costumes ranging from Santa Claus to Christmas jumpers. This covers any kind of festive dress that could impede the operation of the car and includes Santa’s boots.
11. No Debts On Christmas
In 1838, Arkansas passed a law making any debt that would otherwise be due on Christmas payable one day earlier, aka Christmas Eve. In other words, if a debt you owed were to come due on Christmas, you’d have one less day to pay it. Likewise, if a debt owed to you were payable on Christmas, your debtor would be required to pay it one day early, thus depriving you of one day’s worth of interest.
In opposition to Arkansas, in 1837 Louisiana adopted a law that made Christmas Day a grace period with regard to bill paying. In other words, if a debtor had a debt come due on Christmas Day, they would have until December 26 to pay it.
12. No Christmas for Massachusetts Bay Colony
In the 1650s, the Massachusetts Bay Colony implemented a ban on Christmas. The colony and its largely Puritan government went so far as to outlaw Christmas in order to discourage “disorderly” behavior. Anyone who failed to show up for work or participated in feasting would be fined five shillings. While the ban was lifted in 1681, Christmas wasn’t actually listed as a public holiday in Massachusetts until 1856.
Have Yourself a Merry Holiday Season
So, there you have it! A glimpse into the sometimes strange, sometimes sensible laws surrounding the holidays. Remember, knowing local laws and ordinances can help keep you out of legal trouble this festive season. But should you or someone you love find themselves facing legal concerns during the holidays…
Don’t DELAY: Call Jeff GOULD Law, the Attorney In YOUR Corner – TODAY!
DISCLAIMER: The information on this blog/site is not intended to be legal advice. It is for general informational use only. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your situation. Further, this information does not create an attorney-client relationship.