A History of the Holidays Through Tough Times

This time last year holiday preparations were starting to get into full swing. Stores had long since sold off left-over Halloween candy, and poppies removed from lapels until next November. The stores stocked garlands and ornaments, fruitcakes and greeting cards. Malls hosted photos with Santa, and parents went store to store to find the hottest toy or game of the year. Plans were being made to travel for the holidays to gather with loved ones near and far, and it seemed there was a different event or party every weekend in December.

Chatting about how things will be different this year, and how they made us feel, our team wondered about other times the world experienced global crises and how they impacted the holiday season then. What we’ve learned is that many of our cherished traditions were created during difficult times and continue today.

“We’ll be home by Christmas…”

When the First World War began, many believed the saying, “we’ll be home by Christmas.” As the months dragged on it became clear that was not to be the case. Labour and supplies were largely being directed to supporting the troops, and people at home began to feel the strain of shortages in everyday food items like sugar and flour, as well as in paper and fuel. Even if it were possible, extravagant celebrations would not be considered patriotic. Practical gifts were encouraged. Gifts and decorations alike were often created by “making something from nothing”. Cutting up old greeting cards and tin cans, paper chains and snowflakes from old newspapers, and foil from cigarette packages were popular holiday décor. Care packages to the soldiers overseas included items such as warm gloves and socks, safety razors, chocolate and sweets, cigarettes, and lighters. By 1915 there were significant delays in the post and demand for parcels and letters increased. The army postal workers earned the nickname “Santa Clause in khaki”.

At the end of WWI the world began to see the spread of Spanish Influenza. By the time the Armistice was signed on November 11th 1918, people were fatigued from the constant bad news from the past 4 years at war, and the isolation caused by the pandemic. The weeks following the end of the war saw a great Armistice jubilation, and an uptick in shopping for the Christmas season that hadn’t been seen since before the war. Those events helped spark a second wave, and two- thirds of all deaths from the pandemic occurred between October and December 1918. By mid-December numbers were on the decline again and churches opened to observe Christmas. After the devastation of the second wave, holiday celebrations were small, intimate affairs at home with close family.

After surviving the First World War and the Spanish Influenza, came an era filled with the hope and extravagance the world had been without for so long. But almost a decade later came another blow that knocked much of the world into an economic downturn known - the Great Depression. Almost 25% of the American population was out of work. Many businesses did not survive as people didn’t have the income to afford food and other items, meaning there wasn’t enough business to keep shops and suppliers afloat. With families barely able to feed themselves, holiday decorations at home were rare. Small, practical gifts were sometimes given and usually made with recycled materials: aprons and dolls from flour or potato sacks, carved wooden toys, and candles were common. An orange was considered an incredibly special gift, as it was a luxury few could afford. The tradition of an orange in the stocking began in Europe long before the Depression, but during a time when oranges were especially expensive and money was scarce, receiving one would be the highlight of the year for some. There were many attempts to lift the spirits of the nations during this bleak time. King George V made his first Christmas address, which has become a beloved annual tradition throughout the Commonwealth, and the first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was erected.  Other well-known Christmas entertainment and traditions debuted, which continue today include: the release of MGM studio’s feature-length adaptation of “A Christmas Carol”; the story of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”; and performances by the Rockettes in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular show.

The Second World War created many similar hardships for families as were felt during the First World War. Rations and shortages on food meant that holiday meals were simple, and some ingredients had to be substituted. Some families would save up their food ration coupons for weeks leading up to the holidays to have a little extra at Christmas. Paper was again too valuable and expensive to waste, so greetings cards were printed on smaller and lower quality paper. Some places even had restrictions on retailers wrapping packages in paper, which meant keeping gifts a surprise required some creativity. Gifts were often homemade and practical, made of recycled materials. Homemade soap was an especially popular gift, as well as gardening tools, and knitted scarves, hats and gloves from recycled wool. With the shortage of men at home, women began filling in for many of their jobs. One surprising job: department store Santas! The lack of manpower at home also led to a shortage of labour to cut down and ship Christmas trees. As a result, real trees were rare and expensive, leading to the popularity of artificial Christmas trees. Christmas trees as we know them now were a German tradition, and the glass balls found on North American Christmas trees were mostly imported German glass-blown ornaments. Once the war began many families avoided German-made holiday décor, as they had during WWI. Eventually the glass company Corning, and other factories that had started manufacturing string bulb lights in the 40’s, were able to mass-produce Christmas tree balls, and the beautiful decorations became a widely accessible staple.

Throughout history we have been forced to reevaluate how we celebrate the holidays. Celebrating the holidays during hard times has historically had a common theme: back to basics. Now with risks to the environment, high unemployment rates, many living with little to no income, and restrictions on travel and gathering, here are 4 historically-inspired trends we can apply to the Holiday season today.

1. WWI – Make something from nothing. Reuse or upcycle materials for gift wrapping and décor.

2.  Spanish Influenza – Cherish your loved ones in intimate celebrations at home.

3. The Great Depression – Create some holiday magic with music, art, and experiences rather than material things.

4.  WWII – Make it personal: Give a gift you’ve made yourself, or support an artist or small business by gifting their items.

And remember to send your holiday cards and packages early - higher volumes are bound to cause delays! 

Author: Ashley