Sunday, December 14, 2014

CHRISTMAS DURING WORLD WAR II


ANNE GREENE here.
Here is part of how Americans celebrated Christmas during the war years. 


Christmas has always been a major holiday in the United States, but during World War II (1941-45) the holiday took on special meaning as most families had a loved one serving in the military who could not be home for Christmas. Peace on Earth was not just a nice phrase found on Christmas cards, but the number one prayer of Americans everywhere. The Christmas season gave hope that while this year many were away, maybe next year the war would be over and missing family members would return home. 


Americans tried their best to celebrate Christmas. Families on the Home Front dealt with painful separations and lost loved ones which the holiday made agonizing. But those keeping the home front fires burning worked hard at making Christmas merry for the children. 


Before the war, America was still recovering from the great depression when money and jobs were scarce. Shoppers were often limited to window shopping, not having any extra money to purchase anything. When the war began, war production went into high gear bringing good-paying jobs and additional income. But, there was little to buy as rationing and priorities in war production left few goods on the shelves. Metal toys nearly disappeared as did automobiles, radios, bicycles, typewriters, and other goods. 

Wartime production priorities greatly restricted the presents that children could receive for Christmas. Who better to tell the kids than St. Nick? Santa Claus had to lower children’s expectations when they came to sit on his lap. Santa explained that a particular toy had too much steel in it - and that steel was needed for the war. If a child seemed disappointed, Santa told the child that some children living in the countries where the war was being fought would have no Christmas. With the shortage of men, Santa was often a woman. 

The song, White Christmas, debuted in 1942. Sung by Bing Crosby it became an instant success as its peaceful feeling hit home with those on the home front and those on the battle front. I’ll Be Home for Christmas debuted in 1943. The words touched the hearts of separated loved ones. Both songs are still classics sung at Christmas. 

For the soldiers, sailors and airmen overseas, military necessity and lack of accommodations forced them to have minimal celebrations. Many of the boys serving overseas got the blues. But presents from home cheered them. 


Do you have a Christmas story from the World War II years that you’d like to share? Maybe a soldier or someone in your family shared his or her experience. Maybe you have a story of how a child at home felt during those years at Christmas from 1941 to 1945. I’d love to hear your stories. Please leave a comment. 

ANNE GREENE delights in writing about wounded heroes and gutsy heroines. Her second novel, a Scottish historical, Masquerade Marriage, won three prestigious book awards. The sequel Marriage By Arrangement, finalled in a number of contests. A Texas Christmas Mystery also won several awards. Look for Anne’s new World War II historical romance, Angel With Steel Wings, early in 2015. The first book in Anne’s lady detective series, Holly Garden, PI, Red is for Rookie, débuts later in 2015. Anne’s highest hope is that her stories transport the reader to awesome new worlds and touch hearts to seek a deeper spiritual relationship with the Lord Jesus. Anne makes her home in McKinney, Texas. She loves to talk with her readers. Buy Anne’s books at http://www.Amazon.com. Talk with Anne on twitter at @TheAnneGreene. View Anne’s books, travel pictures and art work at http://www.AnneGreeneAuthor.com.

Learn more about Anne as well as gain tips on writing award-winning novels at http://www.anneswritingupdates.blogspot.com.

VISIT WITH ANNE here at Heroes, Heroines, & History every 14th day of every month.

 

12 comments:

  1. Nice post, Anne. The part about female Santas was fun, and sad. I love that era, and this adds to my understanding of it.

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    1. Thanks, Rebecca, for talking with me here. Nice to have you! I love that era as well.

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  2. I really enjoyed reading this article. Thank you for the insight.

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    1. Hi Pam, thanks for visiting. Good to see you! I'm so glad you liked my article.

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  3. I enjoyed the article. Lots of interesting info about Christmas during that time period.

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    1. Hi Janet, thanks for visiting with me here. Don't you love hearing about Christmas past? Wonder what Christmas future will be like.

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  4. My most memorable Christmas as a child was 1944, the year my baby brother was born in October. That Christmas we had moved into a new house and I got a life size baby doll. I loved taking care of my baby brother and my baby doll. I was eight years old that Christmas. Daddy didn't serve in the armed forces because of a birth defect in his knees, but he did everything else he could for the war effort. My grandmother saved up sugar so she could bake Christmas cut-out cookies with me. Thanks for the post, Anne, it brought back a lot of memories.

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    1. HI again Martha! You have a host of lovely memories and I enjoy your sharing them with us here! Did you get to decorate those cookies?

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  5. Hello Anne, I remember well the WW ll for we moved to Houston so my daddy could work in the Shipyards. Everyone was needed. Also my oldest was in the war. Some foods were rationed and mom had ration stamps to buy certain foods. Even the women who were able did whatever they could to help our men. Our big family had many relatives and close family friends serving. I remember my older sisters would go to the USO to help entertain the servicemen in for a few days rest. Some of the guys would come to our house for Sunday dinner tho there was nothing fancy. Christmas was scarce as was usual for our family. I remember the excitement when the war was over. Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

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    1. Hi Maxie, thanks for visiting. I wish I had been able to go to a USO to help entertain servicemen! What a joy that must have been. And having servicemen over for dinner had to be so satisfying. Thanks for sharing your memories here! I hope you do again.

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  6. I don't have a WW II. But do really enjoy the songs you mentioned, White Christmas. and I'll BeHomefor Christmas. I thought they were written for the returning soldiers and are very special songs. sm. wileygreen1(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  7. Hi Sharon, I still love to sing those songs each year as well. Don't we all! In our little town when I was small, the songs played everywhere on loud speakers to enjoy walking down the street when ever you shopped. We sang those songs beginning after Thanksgiving and on to Christmas day. I never tired of them. Back then, though, I didn't know the real meaning of Christmas. I didn't become a new creation in Christ until I was 21. But God is faithful and He made sure I heard His way of salvation, free to all who come to Him in faith believing.

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