Episode 33 - I'll Be Home for Christmas
A special holiday episode highlighting Christmas & Hanukkah in wartime America
Welcome to the supplemental post for Episode 33! This is a special holiday episode highlighting Christmas traditions in wartime along with a special look at Hanukkah. I wanted to give a special Thank You! to Leah Sauter from theyiddishsewcialist on Instagram for her research help on Hanukkah in wartime.
Special packages filled with baked goodies were a great way to stay connected to loved ones far away fighting in the war. Good Housekeeping magazine put together an experimental box full of cookies, cake, and nuts to test recipes for sturdy baked goods that traveled well so they could share them with their readers.
This Armour and Company ad showcasing what our soldiers were eating for the holidays was a common one in wartime edition women’s magazines. It’s interesting to compare what the different military branches were eating! If you’re wondering where the Airforce is, they were still part of the Army at this point.
I mentioned Studio C’s funny sketch “Overdue Military Letters”. It’s a great example of what not to send. Haha! I love that they include real V-Mail in the sketch!
The above menu represents a typical wartime Christmas meal on the homefront. Of course, there was some variety depending on your family or where in the country you lived.
This Ohio newspaper held a recipe contest and showcased the prize winners’ Christmas menus. You can see a lot of turkey, wild game, and even some seafood - none of which were rationed meats.
I loved ads like this! They’re a great time capsule of knowledge where we can see what this particular store was carrying for the holidays.
I mention this Noma lights ad in the episode. So much innocence, nostalgia and hope together in one ad! Christmas lights shining in homes and city streets in wartime depended on where you lived and the local laws allowing or prohibiting them.
Hanukkah and Christmas overlapped one another in 1943. The Jewish American community had a lot to cope with, not just with their soldiers being away from home, but also learning about the terrible things happening to other Jews in Europe. Holidays like Hanukkah must have brought so much comfort during that difficult time.
There wasn’t a featured cookbook, due to the 13 Day Victory Kitchen Countdown to Christmas. Feel free to take a look at all of those recipes to get some inspiration for your next holiday celebration!
RESOURCES
Websites:
Christmas on the World War II Homefront - National WWII Museum
Sarah Sundin - Christmas in WWII - The U.S. Home Front
How America Celebrated the Holidays During World War II - The History Channel
Tanks and Tinsel: The American Celebration of Christmas During WWII
Books/Magazines:
Good Housekeeping. December 1942.
Woman’s Home Companion. December 1942.
Health for Victory Meal Planning Guide, December 1943. Westinghouse.
Newspaper articles accessed via Newspapers.com