In times of war, those left tending to the home fires often sacrifice in silence. Exceptionally weighty for those whose loved ones are in the midst of the battle are the holidays – Christmas particularly so. We’ve all heard the stories of the momentary lulls in the fierce fighting for a yuletide respite in the exchanges of death. These poignant accounts are significant in keeping alive the idea that soldiers in combat retain and can show their humanity. But equally important are the chronicles of those waiting at home for word from the front.
Christmas In World War II Often Viewed From the Battlefield
Mobilizing for war comes with the image of columns of troops, flights of aircraft, and lines of armor and artillery. Christmas narratives most often focus on the fighting men and women and their sacrifice being away from friends and family on these special days. pictures of Captain Winters and his Band of Brothers huddling together to keep warm in rock-hard frozen foxholes in the forest on the outskirts of the Belgian town of Bastogne in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge are the images we have of Christmas 1944.
It’s difficult to remember today what life was like for those left behind in World War II. As Real Clear Defense reminds us today, “It’s easy for those overseas to call home or FaceTime, to share both the memory and the visual experience of Christmas Day with parents, wives, and kids. That artificial conversation’s not ideal, but it’s still comforting holding a camera to your face so they can see you and you can see them.” That wasn’t true in the war years of World War II.
While nowhere near the harsh conditions faced by the combat forces, the challenges met every day by stalwart families and friends waiting patiently were nonetheless real. A recent Military Times article painted a cameo view of the life of those keeping vigil at home. The article observed: “The costs were showing up at home even in small things. Nationwide gas rationing began on December 1, 1942 (four gallons a month, later reduced to three); that and a 35 mph ‘Victory Speed Limit’ kept holiday revelers close to home.”
All too often, memories fade of what life was like in the cities and small towns during World War II, which should give us hope in the human spirit. One historian, Beverly Bishop of Roseville, Michigan, is trying to prevent the march of time from erasing recollections of daily routines and activities. In an interview with the Roseville-Eastpointe Eastsider, Bishop explained:
“Because supplies were low, families used paper and their creativity to make ornaments that resembled peppermint candy or found pinecones in their backyards for tree trimmings. Bishop also found different meal recipes that used fewer ingredients. Lemon meringue pie was a favorite because it only needed five tablespoons of sugar, and molasses could easily be substituted…Chicken and turkey were too expensive.”
Among the stories of Christmas at home that seldom gets much attention is the plight of the nearly 125,000 Japanese Americans interned in camps in the US. The fear at the time was that this community of Americans was more likely to be or harbor spies and saboteurs during World War II. Yet, during Christmas, to the great credit of those enduring the confinement, “They would decorate mess halls with found materials, organize caroling events throughout the barracks, and make homemade holiday cards to exchange. Children, convinced Santa couldn’t find them in their isolated prison camps, were delighted to encounter Santa bearing gifts,” the Wright Museum of World War II recounts in its “Celebrating the Holidays at Home During World War II” article.
Sacrifice on the Home Front Meant Rationing
For most Americans, the pressure at Christmas of a country mobilized to fight enemies on two sides of the globe meant dealing with shortages of what had been plentiful before the outbreak of war. The National WWII Museum provided a glimpse of how the folks at home were coping. According to the Museum’s historical record, one could purchase a five-foot Christmas tree for 75 cents in 1941, but “The shortage of materials – like aluminum and tin – used to produce ornaments led many people to make their own ornaments.”
Even 75-cent trees were difficult to come by because fewer workers were available to cut down the trees, and there was little or no space in railroad cars to ship the trees. Consequently, “Instead, people opted for artificial Christmas trees made in America using visca (a type of artificial straw)…” History.com explained. One innovative approach to giving the Christmas tree the look of being snow-covered was to mix “a box of Lux soap powder with two cups of water” and apply the mixture to the tree’s boughs.
With men serving away from home, women took on the responsibility of keeping Santa in the department stores. Kids didn’t seem to mind the ho, ho, hos from the soprano substitutes. Meat, automobile tires, gasoline, and many other staples people took for granted before the war were rationed. Those at home would use food ration cards as Christmas gifts for friends.
Nonetheless, as much as those left to cope at home dedicated themselves to the domestic war effort, nothing alleviated the dread of a telegram or arrival of a government staff car with news of a loss. Christmas and the gift of God’s son to bring peace on Earth were often hard to reconcile with a global conflict. But Christ was born to bring light to the world in desperate need of a savior, whether one is on the front lines or the home front. World War II was painful evidence of the truth of that need.
The views expressed are those of the author and not of any other affiliate.
