Wartime Christmas

 

Christmas has long been one of the biggest yearly celebrations in Britain. Within the UK, it was in 1834 that it became an official Bank Holiday. Relating to Christmas, a very historical event in Britain was in the 17th century when Oliver Cromwell cancelled Christmas. It was only with Charles II reclaiming the crown that the holiday was re-established. 

It was with the Victorian era that Christmas as we know it today originated. Queen Victoria marrying Prince Albert brought about many new traditions that we today still carry out, such as the Christmas Tree. From his childhood in Germany, this traditional act was brought over to Britain; this was made popular when the image of Prince Albert and his family was published with them standing in front of a Christmas Tree, decorated in all sorts of decorations such as homemade decorations, sweets and candles. Furthermore, the introduction of Christmas Crackers was also introduced in this era. Tom Smith, inspired by sweets from Paris, invented these as a way to sell more of his sugared almond bon-bons. The typical gift and Christmas hat that we know today was not added until the later years of the Victorian period. As well as this, the "bang" emitted from the cracker was later added as he was inspired by the noise that came from a log that he had placed upon the fire. Finally, in the late 1930s, the joke was added replacing the prior love poem that was once included.

Not so long after the Christmas cracker was modified to how we know it today, war hit Britain in 1939, and Christmas as people knew it was about to change. The holiday was made much more difficult with the increasing shortages and rationing, the distancing from loved ones, and the devastation of their homes. These many years of war, especially in 1940 as the Blitz hit Britain, would see thousands spending their Christmases in air raid shelters as opposed to the comfort of their own homes with their families whole.

As Christmas approached, most would save up the likes of dried fruit and other ingredients for weeks, or months, in the build up to the big day. 

Christmas Dinner was a time of finding substitutes. Christmas became somewhat of a 'mock' in the sense a lot of recipes called for other ingredients to try and make it replicate the taste of the original. They were often duped with vegetables, which were in no short supply thanks to the Dig for Victory campaign. A turkey was also virtually impossible to get ones hands on during the war. Many other substitutes were brought in its place, such as lamb or pork. There was even chicken or a rabbit, which were in a bit more supply.

According to Good Housekeeping, the recommended menu for the average family was;

            Roast chicken and sausages with roast potatoes and curly kale.

            Scotch dumplings and custard sauce.

            Mince pies, dessert and coffee.

The 'better-off' menu differs slightly from the average menu, and the latter is a lot more similar to what we know today;

            Roast turkey with chesnut stuffing with roast potatoes and brussel sprouts.

            Christmas pudding with brandy butter.

            Dssert and coffee.

In a documentary about the Wartime Farm, it is clear that food shortages were a struggle during the holiday, and so the team recreate a carroty Christmas menu that many would have likely relied on. This included;

                        Carrot soup.

            Rabbit with parsley and celery, stuffing served with boiled carrots, parsley and potato cakes, gravy and bread sauce.

            Carrot cake with cream.

            Candied carrot, carrot fudge.

 

 

Whilst rationing did continue during Christmastime, some rationed item quantities were actually increased in the week leading up to Christmas; for example, in 1940, the tea ration was increased to 4oz and the sugar ration was increased from 8oz to 12oz. 

By the latter years of the war, 1943 to 1944, rationing was at its peak and shortages were very high. Christmas dinner's were going to be even harder to make, and the chances of getting a good meat for the dinner was in very low chances. People would be lucky if they were even able to get their hands on some mutton; there was no chance of chicken, turkey or goose. The chances of even getting a rabbit were also next to none. It was another Christmas of mock dishes.  

Along with food being rationed, so was wrapping paper. Instead, families wrapped their presents in brown paper or newspaper. There were also some cases in which they would wrap the presents in small pieces of cloth. These many shortages also meant that giving gifts was harder. Instead, gifts were handmade and practical items were given out instead. Most of these gifts would have been created with the make do and mend approach; for example, old jumpers would be reused to make the likes of hats and scarves. 

In 1940, one of the most popular gift choices was soap. However, by 1942, that too would be added to the rationing list.

 

During the period of the Second World War, there was very few Christmas decorations that would be available to purchase within shops. Old decorations were often reused. (Many today still do that too). Like presents, it was down to the individuals to make their own. One of the most popular decorations that would be made were paper chains. As paper was also on the ration, these would be made by using old scraps of paper, brown paper, or from newspapers that would be DIY'd to disguise the fact it was a decoration made from newspapers. Old Christmas cards were also used to create new decorations. 

Families would also take the time to decorate their air raid shelters; the Christmas of 1940 saw many people spending that Christmas Eve in their shelters due to the threat of an air raid. It was only in Christmas of 1944 that saw some comfort and the old festivies of Christmas resurfaced. As the threat of an aerial bombardment upon the country passed, churches were finally allowed to light their stained glass windows. As blackouts had been a necessity for the past four years, this was something that would've felt comforting to all, both in that Christmas had some normality back and that the threat of war might finally have been dwindling.

A video here from the Imperial War Museum shows you how to make a typical wartime decoration; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTnlKTw9fYA&feature=emb_title

To an extent, it is rather touching to look back at the Christmas traditions of wartime. The extra care and love put into making gifts for loved ones, the level some went to ensure a Christmas dinner was put on the table for the holiday; whether it had meat like the earlier years or whether it was predominantly mock like in the later years of the war. And to feel a sense of normality. Yet one can also greatly imagine the hardship that these people went through during the most festive time of the year.