Christmas In The 1940s
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64361)
United Kingdom
December 20, 2017 8:58am CST
Three little children at Christmas,
our Daddy away at the war,
Hitler had bombed the supply ships
there weren't many goods in the store.
Our Mum was very inventive,
when we were asleep in the night
from scraps she made horses and teddies
ensuring our Christmas delight.
She made us lovely rag dollies
with plaits that were made out of wool,
stitching big smiles on their faces,
making sure our days were not dull.
Sometimes we got little extras
as well as the things that she made,
a colouring book or some marbles,
with these we contentedly played.
Our 'tree' was a branch in a bucket,
we'd no fancy baubles or lights,
Mum fashioned some fairies from cardboard,
with crayons we coloured them bright.
Mum talked a lot about Daddy
though never once showed us her pain,
how worried she was for his safety,
perhaps we'd not see him again.
These are my memories of Christmas,
sweet mother made sure it was fun,
we'd lots of love and excitement,
as magic around us she spun.
Photo is of me and my sisters (me on the left)
55 people like this
56 responses
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
20 Dec 17
This is such a lovely poem and it sounds like your mom was amazing!
5 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
20 Dec 17
@jaboUK Every time there was a knock at the door.
2 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
20 Dec 17
@jaboUK OMG, a telegram? Thank heavens your Dad made it okay.
1 person likes this
! Oh how Mum made sure Christmas was so special for her girls, but I can only imagine all the concerns she had kept inside.@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
20 Dec 17
@jaboUK I hardly know anyone who sews children's clothing these days - that's quite a skill! Everything these days is all about what we can buy - from gifts to decorations . . . we need to do more of making holidays happen from the heart like folks did back then!!
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
20 Dec 17
Yes, it was only when I was grown up that I realised what my mother must have gone through. Thanks for that sweet comment about the photo - it obviously wasn't taken at Christmas, but it's the only one I have. Mum made all our dresses too.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (459635)
• Switzerland
21 Dec 17
@jaboUK You are so right, children think they are entitled to receive everything they ask and they are not as happy as we were in our young days. I remember the light in the eyes of children during Christmas time in the early 50's. This is something I see no more.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
20 Dec 17
@jaboUK My Mom was the same way. She was very inventive.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (170699)
• United States
20 Dec 17
Mom's are the best aren't they? I was a bit of a wild child though. I didn't spend too much time with mine.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
20 Dec 17
I think we take so many things for granted these days. I was born after the war so I never lived through those times but my mother told me enough that I understand how hard it was. Your mother made sure that you still had a Christmas, a very special woman.
3 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
19 Jan 18
Adorable photo, and I loved reading this, it brought back a lot of memories. I was born just as the war ended, and my dad didn't participate because he made glasses and that kept him home. When we moved to Canada (my husband and I and kids) we knew we were spending Christmas with our parents in our childhood homes but our kids wanted a tree in our house. I found a beauty of a drift wood small tree on the beach (we lived next to Lake Ontario). I decorated the driftwood tree and it was the most unique the kids ever had..It was lovely - no lights and no mess. I know I took a photo I should go look for it.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
20 Jan 18
Darn couldn't find it yesterday will keep looking. @jaboUK
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
21 Dec 17
Some people may look at your childhood situation and think "how sad" but they aren't looking beyond the material comforts and seeing how fortunate you were to have such a loving family, especially your mom.
No doubt it was a happy childhood and your mom probably had her hands full with you. (I remember one of your earlier post about your darting in and out of a horse underbelly for fun)
2 people like this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
22 Dec 17
@jaboUK _Whenever I see the underbelly of a horse, that image will forever be imprinted in my mind.
I now realize the truth about long and short term memory of older people. I can remember with clarity events of my childhood but how often do I search for my eyeglasses because I can't remember where I place it even if it were a few minutes ago.
I now realize the truth about long and short term memory of older people. I can remember with clarity events of my childhood but how often do I search for my eyeglasses because I can't remember where I place it even if it were a few minutes ago.1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
21 Dec 17
That sister is only 15 months older than me and I actually got bigger than her when I was about 10. She's quite petite. Our older sister is only 18 months older than the middle one, so we are all close in age. Thanks for liking the poem.
1 person likes this
@Scrapper88 (5957)
• United States
20 Dec 17
My grandparent got married in the early 30's. They use to tell stories like this to their family. I could sit for hours listening to their stories.
2 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
20 Dec 17
I love it when you tell a story in your poems @jaboUK . This is sooooo good and you 3 are cute as buttons.
1 person likes this
Dang good at it too,
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
22 Dec 17
I love that photo.
Your mother did take a lot of care to make things special for you all.
I too have a Raggedy Ann doll which my mother made
Wishing you all the joy and peace that Christmas heralds.Have a wonderful celebration .
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
23 Dec 17
@responsiveme That's exactly what my mother did - she made all our clothes, and the scraps were used for toys.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
23 Dec 17
@jaboUK I do have my doll and two others , they are there at my parents place inside a wardrobe. My mom would make clothes for them too from the scraps that were left from the dresses she made for me
1 person likes this
@khagendra1994 (1226)
• Kathmandu, Nepal
1 Jan 18
How cute is that photo? what a nice childhood memory.
1 person likes this
