Wartime Christmas: a look at how Christmas was celebrated in Britain during the two world wars

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War is not a time for joy, nor is it a time for celebration, but festivals come in both times of peace and times of war, yet in times of war we often need to take time out to celebrate, to rekindle the goodness in us, which is impossible compared to Britain's involvement in the two world wars in the first half of the twentieth century. Whether on the battlefield or at home, Christmas celebrations have changed with the times, with soldiers and civilians alike celebrating as much as possible. In some cases, this led to innovative new traditions and even near-legendary events.

World War I

When World War I began on July 28, 1914, the consensus was that the war would be "over by Christmas". Within a few months, however, it was clear that neither side had the upper hand, and a long war of attrition began, with the Allies managing to halt the advance of the Central Powers, and both sides digging trenches on either side of a "no man's land", "a barren wasteland that would become synonymous with war itself. " By Christmas, "barren wasteland" was bravely transformed into "no end in sight." Countless movies followed, depicting everything from the serenity of the Western Front to the amazing women of 2017. Trench warfare was particularly brutal. If British soldiers weren't worried about machine gun fire, snipers or artillery shells, having to face the cold, rain and potential flooding that could bring health risks from pneumonia to "trench foot", and this was before the use of chemical weapons such as mustard gas,

As December approached, it seemed that Christmas took place in the shadow of the war. held in the shadow of war. In Rome, Pope Benedict XV was the first to suggest a temporary cessation of holiday hostilities, but every country in the conflict refused to negotiate a formal cease-fire. Unofficially, it was not unheard of for Allied and Central forces to fraternize with each other on a range of issues, from simply collecting the dead each day to even visiting each other's trenches, an interaction that was more common between British and German forces than between German and French forces, but even before the start of the Christmas season, cordiality between the parties was not uncommon.

The so-called "Christmas Truce" began on December 24, when German troops reportedly began singing Christmas carols and decorating their trenches with candles and Christmas trees on Christmas Eve. Soon the British army began singing their own carols, and soon the opposing forces were singing to each other. There are reports that not long after this goodwill was established, a German commander sent the British a chocolate cake with a note suggesting a cease-fire over Christmas so that the German troops could hold concerts. The British accepted the tobacco and sent it back as their Christmas present.

With the glow of Christmas, the Germans were among the first to leave the trenches. The British troops were afraid to set traps until they saw that the Germans were unarmed and came out to meet them. After shaking hands, they shared small gifts of cigarettes, tobacco, plum pudding, and chocolate. Both sides made boards that said "Merry Christmas" in English and German. Some reports say an impromptu soccer game was played. Neither side entered the other's trenches or fired shots throughout. To a large extent, the truce remained in effect on the previous Boxing Day as the war returned to normal.

Landis. Even those injured in hospitals were able to celebrate the holiday as it would help their recovery, with decorations and entertainment to cheer them up. Many survivors of the war did not see another Christmas in Britain until the end of November 1918, just one month short of Christmas Day, World War II

Nearly two decades later, the world would be plunged into war again when Nazi-controlled Germany invaded Poland. With the war starting in September 1939, hostilities had plenty of time to reach the Christmas holidays and the effects of the conflict were already being felt well into December, and while no soldiers had yet been killed in battle, the conflict at sea had claimed the lives of many sailors. At home, children have been driven out of the cities for fear that the bombs will not fall for months, and rationing has been put in place. *** Discussions took place as to whether to encourage people to conserve resources and not to overspend during the festive season, but the leaders felt that such spending was good for morale, although the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Treasury, Sir John Simon, was still urging some savvy people. In the midst of all this, some wealthy citizens have begun to feel strapped for cash as the war cuts off their financial resources, and upscale stores report more baskets from friends.

The stores did their best to encourage people to come in, and in the relative calm of the Western Front, many soldiers were actually mixing with civilians at home as gifts bought for their loved ones. The only ones missing were the children, and toys were bought for those who would not be able to enjoy them for months until it was safe to return. As in the First World War, war-related toys were again popular, including uniforms and Red Cross nurses' uniforms and even miniature Maginot lines. Some public **** cars were allowed to take parents to the countryside to visit their children for a day or two. Another wartime gift that became popular again was care packages for soldiers and sailors still abroad, including games, woolen clothes and candy. Over time, organizations like the National Savings Board encouraged citizens to give money to the war effort instead of buying gifts.

Troops who found themselves still on the front lines or at sea were still able to find some holiday comfort. They would perform their own pantomimes, and soldiers remained in places where they were at home but far from their families, where people welcomed them into the homes of nearby villagers and townspeople. In France, soldiers were allowed to enjoy turkey and plum pudding in humble wooden huts, but they had to stay as warm as possible for fear of giving away their positions and being forbidden to fire. During this time, British land troops were more susceptible to frostbite than German troops, and some had to spend their leave in hospital.

The Royal Christmas message has been interrupted twice since King George V began delivering it in 1932, and his son, King George VI, ensured that it continued every year for the duration of the war.The first message broadcast over the BBC in 1939 was one of comfort and hope. Thanking the British Expeditionary Force for their courage and patience, King George also reminded the people that Christmas was a time of peace, as the future of the country looked uncertain, and to trust in God. Subsequent messages focused on a variety of themes, including the separation of families, homes won in the war, military victories won by the Allies, and ultimately peace.

As the war moved into 1940, peace must have been a hard thing to find. Just a year after the war began, the event known as the Blitz ravaged much of Britain, including London, and Christmas was celebrated in a bleak atmosphere. The last raid only happened less than a month ago on Nov. 15, destroying the National Portrait Gallery, parts of Euston Station and Westminster Cathedral even putting a Christmas tree on the mast. The captain usually reads out the day's Christmas service and then conducts an inspection, which is less formal than others and gives him a chance to greet and joke with the ship's sailors. Lunch is then served, ideally consisting of turkey and plum pudding, followed by the crew's rum ration. Ships docked at home were able to enjoy their Christmas spirit more freely than those at sea, although sailors' accounts imply there was plenty of drinking in both cases,

Soldiers celebrated the festive season on the front line, doing their best to make Christmas dinner from what was available, and even holding church services in faraway Libya. Christmas carols would be sung in the camps, and although the extent of the tradition of Christmas dinner depended on how far the soldiers were from the front line, those who went on to liberate Italy were able to include some Italian vintage wine in their Christmas dinner, and a few lucky soldiers were even able to go home for the holiday, but it wasn't until 1945 that thousands of soldiers and sailors were able to go home for Christmas.

Of course, even after the war was over, its effects lasted until Christmas 1945. Families had to adjust to relatives who had been "demobilized" from the war. As both husbands and wives changed significantly, many British families adjusted over the holidays as they were reacquainted. Rationing would not end for nine years, and the scarcity of Christmas remained during the war, with Christmas chains mostly made of newspaper and Christmas cards often small and printed on very thin paper. The Ministry of Food still published alternative recipes for "mock turkey" or "Turkey" consisting of sausages, breadcrumbs and vegetables. Toy manufacturers have largely shut down or shifted their operations to the war effort, and many of the toys received are handmade from wood. Instead of Americans visiting at Christmas, it was Germans who had been prisoners of war, working in Britain before they returned home, who were now invited to share in the festivities. It will take a while for Christmas to return to the pomp and unhindered joy it was known for before the war.

Nevertheless, both at home and abroad, Christmas has managed to be a time or joy and peace for the chaos of two world wars. Enemies found friendship with each other on the battlefield, if only for a day. Despite the separation of families, they found ways to welcome home lonely soldiers. Though the means for joy were few, people found a way to deal with what they had and share it with others. Christmas, whatever the horrors of war can do, cannot and must not be canceled.