How did Christmas start in England?

Answer 1

As Australia was settled by the British, Christmas was a tradition that came with the First Fleet, which was made up of convicts, marines and officers who came in January 1788.

The first Christmas on Australian soil was celebrated on 25 December 1788, with a service conducted by Reverend Johnson, who was aboard the First Fleet. Following the service, Governor Arthur Phillip and his officers had a proper Christmas dinner, during which they toasted King George lll and his family. The convicts, however, had no change in their own rations.

There was one convict who benefitted (slightly) from the holiday - Michael Dennison - who had stolen a pound of flour from Martha Pugh. Originally sentenced to 200 lashes, he was given only 150 because it was Christmas.

Answer 2

Christmas in England began in AD 596, when St Augustine landed on her shores with monks who wanted to bring Christianity to the Anglo Saxons.