Welcome to our newest feature, Journey through Christmases Past. This series is a nostalgic celebration of the holidays we all remember...
- The décor that filled our homes.
- The toys that defined each decade.
- The television and movie shows that brightened the season.
- The outfits we adored (and the ones we definitely didn’t).
World War II spanned September 1, 1939, through September 2, 1945, and six Christmases passed during wartime. Due to wartime shortages, homeowners looking to bring a bright spot to those dark days turned to homemade or magazine DIY decorations, and blocked trade led to some American creations.
Little House on the Prairie: "Christmas on Plum Creek"
Paper garlands originated in the Victorian era, and shortages of supplies found families turning to these traditions when imported Christmas decorations were unavailable.
Photo from the United States National Archives
Though decorated eggs are typically associated with Easter, they were also used as Christmas decorations during the war years. I also recall some while I was growing up in the 60s and 70s.
One special treasure I think we still have somewhere in this house is unsilvered glass ornaments similar to the ones in this closed eBay listing photo. My in-laws, who were born in the early 1930s, owned them.
With trade from Germany blocked, access to hand-blown ornaments was impacted. Thanks to German immigrant Max Eckhardt and his partnership with a representative of Woolworth's Department Store, they brought the idea for Shiny Bright ornaments to the Corning Glass Works in New York. You can read more about this creation in this blog post from The Barnes Museum.
And as this article from History discusses, faux fir Christmas tree sales ramped up during the war because men were serving their country--not cutting down trees--and fees paid to landowners for tree-cutting rights rose.
Did your family or do they know embrace any of these traditions and decorations?
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