CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS DESPITE THE WAR

ANNE GREENE here:  

Christmas is a major holiday in the United States, but during World War II, 1941-1945 Christmas had a special meaning. Most families had a loved one serving in the military who could not be home for Christmas. Peace on Earth was no longer 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 end and missing family members would return home.

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

Before the war, America still recovered from the great depression when money and jobs were scarce. Shoppers had often been limited to window shopping, not having any extra money to purchase gifts. 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 left few goods on the shelves. Metal toys nearly disappeared as did automobiles, radios, bicycles, typewriters, and other goods.

Wartime production priorities restricted the presents children could receive for Christmas. Santa Claus had to tell the kids to lower their expectations. 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 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 the tune 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 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. 

Leave a comment and one lucky winner will win my WWII book, Angel With Steel Wings. Buy any one or all seven of Anne’s book on http://www.Amazon.com.

Ace Collins, bestselling author of numerous books, including the WW II series, In the President’s Service, says of ANGEL WITH STEEL WINGS: 

A story of a woman in a man’s domain set against the dynamics of World War II is a can’t-miss scenario. Angel With Steel Wings paints a vivid picture of courageous pilots facing death in the air while struggling with love on the ground, and wraps it up in a unique twist that will challenge all you knew about the “Greatest Generation.” Steeped in history and framed by faith, this is a tale that takes readers into a world now all but forgotten, and lands in a place that touches the heart in a special way. To know how far we have come, we must understand where we started, and Angels With Steel Wings takes us back on a thrilling trip in time that informs as it entertains. I think this is one flight you won’t want to miss.

ANNE GREENE delights in writing about alpha heroes who aren’t afraid to fall on their knees in prayer, and about gutsy heroines. Her novellas, A CHRISTMAS BELLE, and A GROOM FOR CHRISTMAS are now available. Her Women of Courage Series spotlights heroic women of World War II, with the first book ANGEL WITH STEEL WINGS available. Enjoy her private investigating series, Handcuffed In Texas by reading the first book, Holly Garden, PI, RED IS FOR ROOKIE. Try her award-winning Scottish historical romances, MASQUERADE MARRIAGE and MARRIAE BY ARRANGEMENT. Anne’s highest hope is that her stories transport the reader to an awesome new world and touch hearts to seek a deeper spiritual relationship with the Lord Jesus. Buy Anne’s books on http://www.Amazon.com.

 

 

 

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 14^th day of every month.

 

1914 Christmas Advertising

This post is about Christmas advertising one hundred years ago, in December 1914. However, I could not write this post without touching on the Great War which began on August 4th, 1914 when Britain declared war on Germany. I won't go into the reasons as this post isn't about the war, but I want to say that as Canada deemed its allegiance to the British Crown, Canada automatically put what little might she had behind Britain and began recruiting. After several months, shortages were being felt. Some Canadians thought Christmas should be cancelled and all money and efforts put toward the war effort, but others said life must go on and that they could not give their children a life of fear, as long as the war stayed in Europe. And the British children had a reason to fear as can be seen by this Dec 17, 1914 headliner. 

The Morning Leader (Regina, SK) - Dec 17, 1914

The following clippings are recipes from Regina, Saskatchewan, and Barrie, Ontario, the latter which includes the reason for making candy at such a time as war.

The costs for sugar and flour were higher, but not by much, and rationing hadn't been implemented yet, so the array of goods available for baking was quite suitable.

The Morning Leader (Regina, SK) - Dec 21, 1914

Stores still carried a full line of toys and books to keep little minds and hands occupied, along with skates and guns for outdoor adventure.

The Morning Leader (Regina, SK) - Dec 21, 1914

The Morning Leader (Regina, SK) - Dec 21, 1914

An interesting find while searching for men's gifts was the wording change from mufflers, as in the Morning Leader ad, to scarfs, as in the Barrie Examiner ad. In my research of the early days on the Canadian prairies, a knitted scarf was always referred to as a muffler, so to see it printed as a scarf in an Ontario newspaper makes me wonder if it was a geographical difference or a change of the times. 

Gift ads for her were harder to choose from because although newspapers usually had a plethora of fashion ads for women's wear, December papers seemed to display everything but fashion except for furs. When you look at the other prices, these fur coats seem extravagant although they were the warmest to wear through the prairie winters.

The Morning Leader (Regina, SK) - Dec 12, 1914 

Here are some of the things listed as gifts for women in Ontario and Saskatchewan.

And finally, we see the jewelry store ads which sorts the gifts in orderly fashion by price. This would surely help those who walk in the store with a set amount to spend on a gift for someone.

Barrie Examiner, (Barrie, ON), 10 Dec 1914

No mention of a correlation between the war and shopping was made other than what I mentioned at the start of this post. I believe it may have been a determined effort to give the families, and children in particular, a happy Christmas, due to many of the men volunteering for the Canadian Expeditionary Force and leaving their families alone at Christmas. 

What are your thoughts on these Christmas gifts and their cost? Any surprises? Did you see anything you'd like to find under your tree this year?

In celebration of the publication of my short story, Here We Come A-Wassailing, I'm holding a draw with a deadline of 11:59 pm this Sunday, Dec 7th, for a giveaway of one copy of A Cup of Christmas Cheer Vol 3&4.  If you want to be entered, leave a comment. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anita Mae Draper is retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and lives on the prairie of southeast Saskatchewan, Canada with her hubby of 30 plus years and the youngest of their four kids. She writes cowboy stories set in the West, and Edwardian stories set in the East.  Anita is blessed to have two short stories in Guideposts Books A Cup of Christmas Cheer collection which includes Here We Come A-Wassailing, published in Volume 4 Heartwarming Tales of Christmas Present, October 2014, and Riding on a Christmas Wish  published in Volume 1 Tales of Faith and Family. Anita Mae is represented by Mary Keeley of Books & Such Literary Management. You can find Anita Mae at   www.anitamaedraper.com