Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas
As we head towards Christmas and all the festivities that ensue, most of us are consumed by merriment, by presents, by festive meals, by family and friends.
It’s a time to put away laptops, put down pens and take a moment to breathe.
It’s a time when laughter and overindulgence is encouraged, nay anticipated. And for most of us – we are happy to comply.
At this time, it doesn’t seem particularly important to worry whether your festivities – within reason – are breaking the law in some way. It doesn’t occur to most of us to worry whether our mince pies are illegal or whether wearing a Santa costume could land you in hot water.
But... it seems there are some particularly obscure laws from around the world that would dictate otherwise. Christmas Laws? Apparently not everyone is as merry as we think….
Christmas Laws from around the globe
Before we get into the stranger Christmas laws, Christmas itself (shock, horror!!) has been banned in:
1. Tajikistan (borders Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan) where restrictions on the celebration of Christmas have been hardened. Christmas trees (natural or artificial); fireworks; Christmas dinners; presents; collecting money and Santa Claus (or the Russian “Father Frost”) costumes have all been banned.
2. Brunei (south-east Asian country) prohibits the public use of Santa Claus hats and other related clothing and accessories and delegates non-Muslims to only celebrate Christmas in private.
3. Saudia Arabia prohibits “visible signs” of Christmas celebrations.
4. Wenzhou (western China), Christmas is prohibited. City hall has banned all schools and public centres from Christmas-related activities.
5. North Korea is one of the most hostile places in the world for the Christmas spirit. The only devotion permitted is for the party and its leaders, the Kim family. Most North Koreans have never even heard of Jesus or the celebration of Christmas (euroweeklynews).
While the countries mentioned below haven’t outlawed Christmas – as the countries listed above have – there are some more obscure laws that might surprise you…
In the USA
Debt payments are not allowed on Christmas Day – in debt and living in Arkansas? Your Christmas gift from the state of Arkansas is a day off from paying off a debt. In 1838, the state of Arkansas made it illegal to pay debts on Christmas Day. For all intents and purposes, the law hasn’t been changed since. According to the law, anyone with a debt due to be paid on Christmas Day, has to pay it a day earlier, on Christmas Eve (Index digital).
In Mexico
Christmas bonuses are legally mandated. In fact, employers are required by law to give employees an annual Christmas bonus.
According to the LinkedIn article Payroll in Mexico: important points to consider -
“The Mexican law mandates certain benefits that employers must provide to their employees. The benefits can be economic, cultural, or medical and are independent of salary. The mandatory benefits include minimum wage, regular salary payment, paid vacation, vacation bonus, Christmas bonus, and social security”.
In the UK
The UK has the highest number of strange Christmas Laws, and they include –
1. Eating mince pies - in 1644 – when Christmas Day fell on a legally mandated day of fasting - consuming any food was against the law. Which meant that mince pies were illegal. But only for that year.
2. Giving or receiving gifts may be a problem – “Companies who give their clients gifts and vice versa must show that the gifts are not tainted with bribery and corruption. The Bribery Act of 2010 prohibits any act that may be interpreted as bribery. Sections 2 and 3 of the Act prohibits a gift intended: “…to induce a person to perform improperly a relevant function or activity, or to reward a person for their improper performance” (Law Truly).
3. Driving with a Christmas party outfit – this is of course dependent on what you’re wearing but Rule 97 of the Highway Code aims to ensure that drivers are not wearing any clothing items or footwear that could interfere with their driving (Daily Record).
4. Christmas crackers are prohibited for children 12 years and younger - according to the Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015, “Christmas crackers are classed as category one fireworks and belong in the same category as sparklers and party poppers. Therefore, selling them to a minor under the age of twelve can result in an unlimited fine or up to three months in prison” (Witan Solicitors).
5. It is an offence to kill game on Christmas Day – according to Section 3 of the Games Act 1831 it’s illegal to kill game on Christmas Day. The act states as follows “If any person whatsoever shall 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, such person shall, on conviction thereof before two justices of the peace, forfeit and pay for every such offence”.
6. It is illegal to delay or interfere with packages - Christmas parcels and cards are posted – in their thousands - every December. These packages are protected by the Postal Services Act 2000. This means it is illegal to open, tamper with or delay a parcel which is not addressed to you. Doing so could also constitute trespass to goods (Harrison Clark Rickerbys Solicitors).
7. Getting drunk on Christmas Day is prohibited – “take note of how much you drink this Christmas season as it could result in a penalty under s12 of the Licensing Act particularly on licensed premises. This is also considered an offence under the Metropolitan Police Act 1839. And to top it off, it is an offence to sell alcohol to a person who is drunk or to obtain alcohol for consumption by a person who is drunk under the Licensing Act 2003” (Clapham & Collinge Solicitors).
8. Christmas lights may be illegal – “a 1990 law in the UK called the ‘statutory nuisance’ law that means if any complaints are made about artificial light being too bright, local councils are obligated to investigate” (Harrison Clark Rickerbys Solicitors).
(Sources used and to whom we owe thanks: Prettys; Harrison Clark Rickerbys Solicitors; Witan Solicitors; Clapham & Collinge Solicitors; Daily Record; Index Digital; Law Truly; Euro Weekly News and LinkedIn).
With all of that said, we at NVDB Attorneys wish all our clients and readers a very Happy, very Merry Christmas – may you all stay safe and enjoy the festivities and merriment of the season.
If you have any questions on the information we have set out above or have a personal issue which you want to discuss with us, please don’t hesitate to contact us at NVDB Attorneys.
We are a law firm that considers honesty to be core to our business. We are a law firm that will provide you with clear advice and smart strategies - always keeping your best interests at heart!
