In 1836 which state was the first to declare Christmas a legal holiday?

Answer 1

Alabama

I received this from the Alabama State Archives:

Actually, there is no such thing. Alabama as the "first state to declare Christmas a holiday" is a story that gets resurrected every year (yours is the third request for background this year), but has no basis in fact. Three generations of archivists (including myself) have searched in vain for any sort of evidence that the claim is true. The legislature, in 1848, did make Christmas a bank holiday, to wit: "Paper due on Christmas, fourth of July, and first of January, to be paid the previous day." That appears as section 1836 of the 1852 Code of Alabama, so maybe that is where the story began.

The legislature did not declare Christmas a state holiday until February 1883.

Answer 2

1 - Louisiana & Arkansas established Christmas as a State holiday in 1831

2 - President Ulysses S. Grant established Christmas as a Federal holiday in 1870.

Answer 3

Alabama.