In the mid-17^th century, the English government headed up by Oliver Cromwell banned the singing of Christmas carols, claiming the practice was “pagan.” Thankfully, by 1660 sanity had been restored, paving the way for Victorian-era songs like “Silent Night,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” and “O Holy Night,” as well as later modern American classics like “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Silver Bells,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”