Christmas Past - The 1940s
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64346)
United Kingdom
December 23, 2015 9:46am CST
I did a post a couple of days ago about the make-do Christmas tree my mother made when I was a child. Some of you were interested enough to ask to me to write more about that time, so here goes..
Children today take it for granted that they will get lots of presents, but during World War 2 and for a few years afterwards, goods were just not available even if you had the money to buy them.
However, our mother was very skilled at making little stuffed animals and dolls from scraps of material, or by knitting them. Some of the dolls were made from black material and Mum would embroider big white grins on their faces. These were called gollywogs, and today they would be regarded as 'politically incorrect'. I don't know why, - we had white dolls so why not black?
The week before Christmas was spent making paper chains, which we coloured then stuck together with a paste made from flour and water. Mum would string these up across the room on Christmas Eve - we didn't put anything up before then. That included the 'tree', which I wrote about the other day.
Our Dad was a soldier and was away at the war from 1939 (when I was born) until 1945, though he did get occasional leave. I don't remember him ever being home for Christmas though.
When the war was over he would greatly enhance this time of year for us. He would make little boats out of blocks of wood, and one year he made us a little red chair each, with our names painted on them. We felt like little princesses sitting on those chairs.
So even though we didn't have a lot, Christmas was still a magical time.
Related post:
During my childhood in WW2 goods were in short supply, and that included Christmas trees. Dad was a soldier away at the war, so it was up to my mother to do...
39 people like this
40 responses
@Marilynda1225 (91063)
• United States
23 Dec 15
Times were so much simpler back then weren't they. I have been sitting here this morning thinking about when my children were young, I was a single mom and money was tight. My kids didn't get much on Christmas but it turns out that those Christmas mornings we all have the fondest memories. It's sad that kids now are all caught up in expensive gifts and are losing out on some really great memories
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@Marilynda1225 (91063)
• United States
23 Dec 15
just want to add a very Merry Christmas Janet and thanks for all the wonderful posts
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
23 Dec 15
@Marilynda1225 - I've just been reading your post on past Christmases, and you are nostalgic for those days too. It just seemed more fun, but as I commented on your post, I suppose it's a consequence of getting older.
But you are right about all the expensive gifts that they get nowadays - I don't believe children appreciate them as much as we (and our own children) appreciated our make-do things.
Thanks for the Christmas wishes, and of course I wish you the same. It's been a pleasure having you as a friend both here and on Bubblews.
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@DeborahDiane (40844)
• Laguna Woods, California
25 Dec 15
I think we always feel better when we have to use our creativity in order to celebrate a holiday. Those create the best memories!
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@changjiangzhibin89 (17239)
• China
24 Dec 15
People who haven't lived through World War 2 can never give such a vivid description of their childhood in those days .Historical mistakes are not allowed to recur !
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@changjiangzhibin89 (17239)
• China
24 Dec 15
@jaboUK Those memories are beyond price and good teaching materials,which give us a portrait of life during World War 2 and make us cherish today's life .
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
24 Dec 15
@changjiangzhibin89 When my generation is gone there won't be anyone left with first hand memories of those times. Thanks for reading.
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
24 Dec 15
@changjiangzhibin89 I'm so glad that you found this interesting, I appreciate it.
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@41CombedaleRoad (5966)
• Greece
23 Dec 15
I half expected that the word 'gollywog' would be blacklisted! when I read about your tree decorations so named, I immediately recalled the jam with the gollywogs and you could even get a gollywog badge if you saved enough of the images.
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
23 Dec 15
@41CombedaleRoad I wondered if that word would get through too. They weren't tree decorations but proper dolls - they would often be peeping out of the top of our stockings on Christmas morning, much to our delight.
I remember the jam and the badges too. And I also remember the ''Black and White Minstrels'' on the TV (the 60s was it?) - harmless fun in my opinion.
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@WorDazza (15826)
• Manchester, England
23 Dec 15
@jaboUK The most offensive thing about the Black and White Minstrels was that it was so damned awful!! Prime time Saturday night entertainment??? We've come a long way in that respect in 40 years. Oh hang on! Ant and Dec!! As you were!!!
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@WorDazza (15826)
• Manchester, England
23 Dec 15
Just been watching a programme where a modern day family sampled a typical 1940s Christmas. It was fascinating. Almost exactly what you've described in your posts.
Not sure how often I'm going to get on here in the next week or so, so if I don't get another chance I'd like to say thanks for the entertainment for the last year or so. I look forward to a lot more in the New Year.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
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@slund2041 (3314)
• United States
25 Dec 15
@jaboUK I would love to hear more about your childhood.
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
24 Dec 15
@slund2041 I do remember a lot from my childhood - last week not so much
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
25 Dec 15
@slund2041 I'll probably post some more sometime, thanks for your interest.
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@garymarsh6 (23998)
• United Kingdom
26 Dec 15
We had some wonderful Christmas's when we were kids often accompanied by lots of family around. Everyone joined in and contributed in some way. Merry Christmas Janet to you and your husband.
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
26 Dec 15
@garymarsh6 Yes, Christmas was great when we were kids. We had a lovely day yesterday thanks Gary, I hope that you did too, and that your grandson is ok.
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@garymarsh6 (23998)
• United Kingdom
26 Dec 15
@jaboUK He wasn't yesterday Janet he didn't show any interest in his presents at all. He was listless and lifeless but the good news is he has eaten something this morning. They are due to descend on us in around half an hour.
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@boiboing (13147)
• Northampton, England
23 Dec 15
Amazing - I was expecting a story of tangerines and nuts in your stockings.
I think the G-word got past the censors because the Americans maybe don't know what it means. But I would NEVER use it and I'm horrified when I see them these days.
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
23 Dec 15
@Boiboing Lol - we did have an orange and apple in our stockings if we were lucky, not nuts though
The word that horrifies you was just a normal part of our childhood - we never used it to denigrate black people, they were just another sort of doll and we loved them.
The word that horrifies you was just a normal part of our childhood - we never used it to denigrate black people, they were just another sort of doll and we loved them.@boiboing (13147)
• Northampton, England
23 Dec 15
@jaboUK Times change and attitudes too. I also had the little models and badges from the jam coupons (though not many since my nan made her own jam most of the time) and we watched the Black and White Minstrel Show and Love Thy Neighbour. Now those things belong in the past and we live in a multicultural world where they just aren't acceptable any more.
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@DeborahDiane (40844)
• Laguna Woods, California
24 Dec 15
I agree that today children take it for granted they will get lots of things. Perhaps a little scarcity would be good for some of them! Thanks for sharing your beautiful story!
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
24 Dec 15
@DeborahDiane There's nothing like scarcity to make people appreciate things, is there?
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@DeborahDiane (40844)
• Laguna Woods, California
25 Dec 15
@jaboUK - You are so right ... and we don't allow our children to do without very often.
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@whiteream (8567)
• United States
26 Dec 15
My favorites tree was the one that my son and I made everything that was on the tree. I will never forget that tree. We had so much fun making everything.
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
26 Dec 15
@whiteream That's it isn't it? It's not just the end result, but the fun had getting there.
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@Rollo1 (16676)
• Boston, Massachusetts
27 Dec 15
I am not sure if we are nostalgic for the simplicity of the times or the fact that we enjoyed the holidays more with family and the simpler times meant we found magic in very ordinary things. Nowadays, it's much harder to make things magical and special for children, their world is already lit up and hectic all the time. I think we miss the fact that we had the time and the appreciation for the simple things. That appreciation is missing from today's world.
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@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
2 Jan 16
I can remember my Mama talking about the things she got when she was young. Getting nuts, an orange, apple and peppermint stick in their stockings really made their Christmas. They would also get handmade dolls or clothing for their dolls.
My Mama made me a handmade doll one time and changes of clothes. She still has it. I still have a small music box that plays "My Name is Michael", a small school desk that you just sit on your lap and several of my rattles and squishy sounding toys from when I was a baby as well.
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
2 Jan 16
@Shellyann36 How wonderful to still have all those things from your childhood - I'd give a lot to have some from mine.
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
24 Dec 15
That is a wonderful story of love and hardship too. It must have been hard on your Mother to have your Dad at war and so scary too. I can see your mother did what she could to make your Christmas memorable and obviously she did a good job.
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@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
24 Dec 15
@PainsOnSlate Yes, Mum did a great job. We didn't really understand about war, and thought that bombs etc were normal. Everybody that we knew was in the same boat - Dads away at war, mums coping as best they could.
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