<P> With the atheistic Cult of Reason in power during the era of Revolutionary France, Christian Christmas religious services were banned and the three kings cake was renamed the "equality cake" under anticlerical government policies . </P> <P> In the UK, Christmas Day became a bank holiday in 1834, Boxing Day was added in 1871 . </P> <P> In the early - 19th century, writers imagined Tudor Christmas as a time of heartfelt celebration . In 1843, Charles Dickens wrote the novel A Christmas Carol that helped revive the "spirit" of Christmas and seasonal merriment . Its instant popularity played a major role in portraying Christmas as a holiday emphasizing family, goodwill, and compassion . </P> <P> Dickens sought to construct Christmas as a family - centered festival of generosity, linking "worship and feasting, within a context of social reconciliation ." Superimposing his humanitarian vision of the holiday, in what has been termed "Carol Philosophy", Dickens influenced many aspects of Christmas that are celebrated today in Western culture, such as family gatherings, seasonal food and drink, dancing, games, and a festive generosity of spirit . A prominent phrase from the tale, "Merry Christmas", was popularized following the appearance of the story . This coincided with the appearance of the Oxford Movement and the growth of Anglo - Catholicism, which led a revival in traditional rituals and religious observances . </P>

How do you day merry christmas in german