Holidays & Occasions Christmas This Southern State Was the First to Make Christmas a Legal Holiday Guess before you see the answer. By Southern Living Editors Updated on March 4, 2023 Fact checked by Jennifer Hawk Fact checked by Jennifer Hawk Jennifer Hawk is a former English professor with 24 years of experience guiding even the most reluctant through the labyrinths of writing, rhetoric, and research. brand's fact checking process Share Tweet Pin Email Decorating a Christmas tree. Photo: Dan Kitwood / Getty Images The federal government finally followed suit and declared December 25 a public holiday in 1870. The New York Times left many people scratching their heads on March 8, 2023, with this challenging clue to its crossword puzzle: "First state to declare Christmas a legal holiday." Can you guess the seven-letter answer? avid_creative / Getty Images It's Alabama! That's right—the 22nd state declared Christmas a legal holiday in 1836, according to Al.com. The federal government finally followed suit and announced December 25 a federal holiday in 1870. Despite this official declaration, mentions of this Yuletide holiday appeared in literature and art before the public announcement. According to Al.com, Charles Dickens's publication of A Christmas Carol and the popular Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, originally titled A Visit from St. Nicholas, contributed to the holiday tradition of gift giving in the United States. Oklahoma was the last state to officially recognize Christmas when it officially joined the union in 1907. So if you're lucky enough to get the day off from work this Christmas, make sure to give a special thanks to the great state of Alabama. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Southern Living is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Congressional Research Service. Federal holidays: Evolution and current practices.