Christmas in the 40s

[snowberry]

I was born in the 1940s and from age 4 to 8 lived in a little duplex on Clarence street in south Dallas. I remember my older sister and I sitting in front of a small open flame heater singing Christmas carols. She also read me stories and poems such as 'Little Orphan Annie." I had no idea i was 'poor.' even though a few blocks over wealthy families lived in lovely homes. I just enjoyed walking by them. :)

My best friend and I would sit on the curb telling ghost stories at dusk into early evening (we thought it was pretty late) then we'd get scared and I'd run lickety split into my house while she bolted across the street to hers.

snowberry (who thanks Jesus my early memories are happy ones) :snowball:

[joyful]

Thank you for sharing. It's nice to read about past Christmas decades. My Dad who was born in 1923, one of nine children told me gifts were very rare but he did remember getting a pocket knife (it was his only gift) and he was thrilled.

I thank God for a Dad who even though he never had much as a child growing up, he made sure his children had wonderful Christmases and my parents did it in a way that made me so grateful but never expecting and being bratty. That is quite an accomplishment.

[Wenceslaus]

So glad you posted your memories of Christmas in the 1940s. Especially about telling ghost stories, a Christmas tradition that has been all but forgotten. The song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" has the lines,

There'll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories
Of Christmases long, long ago

which today leave a lot of people scratching their head. Yes, ghost stories. Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is the most famous Christmas ghost story, but he wrote several others (http://www.amazon.com/Charles-Dickens-Christmas-Ghost-Stories/dp/1933993413), as did the author M.R. James (http://www.eofftv.com/g/gho/ghost_story_for_christmas_main.htm).

You may also enjoy the book It's a Wonderful Christmas: The Best of the Holidays 1940–1965 (http://www.amazon.com/Its-Wonderful-Christmas-Holidays-1940-1965/dp/1584793279/).

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Thanks for the sharing the memories of the 40's!

My father grew up in the 40's in the Dallas area, Oak Cliff. I am familiar where Clarence St. is, near Fair Park, I have a museum membership there. Did you visit Fair Park then? It has really changed over the years.

[RadioJonD]

Snowberry, what can you tell us about Seasonal music on your childhood? So many of our Christmas "classics" come from the mid forties through the very early sixties. I just wonder what was played on the radio and home record players before what we now consider traditional?

It had to be a thrill to discover "new" Christmas music like Bing's 'White Christmas' for the first time! Of course, you would have probably been too young to realize it at the time.

[Santa's Helper]

Thank you for sharing. It's nice to read about past Christmas decades. My Dad who was born in 1923, one of nine children told me gifts were very rare but he did remember getting a pocket knife (it was his only gift) and he was thrilled.

I thank God for a Dad who even though he never had much as a child growing up, he made sure his children had wonderful Christmases and my parents did it in a way that made me so grateful but never expecting and being bratty. That is quite an accomplishment.
My mom did the same for my brother and me. She was one of 8 kids and they had nothing. She never got anything for Christmas unless her older sister, who was 17 years older than her, brought all of the kids something. By that time she was married and out of the house so she would sometimes bring a gift for each of them. My mom always made sure we had a nice Christmas and she still does even though we didn't have a lot of money growing up either.

[Wenceslaus]

Merry 1940's Christmas (http://www.amazon.com/Merry-1940s-Christmas-Various-Artists/dp/B00061NLDQ).

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Thank you for sharing. It's nice to read about past Christmas decades. My Dad who was born in 1923, one of nine children told me gifts were very rare but he did remember getting a pocket knife (it was his only gift) and he was thrilled.

I thank God for a Dad who even though he never had much as a child growing up, he made sure his children had wonderful Christmases and my parents did it in a way that made me so grateful but never expecting and being bratty. That is quite an accomplishment.

My mom did the same for my brother and me. She was one of 8 kids and they had nothing. She never got anything for Christmas unless her older sister, who was 17 years older than her, brought all of the kids something. By that time she was married and out of the house so she would sometimes bring a gift for each of them. My mom always made sure we had a nice Christmas and she still does even though we didn't have a lot of money growing up either.

Great stories! I agree that money doesn't make Christmas special it's being with family and what's in your heart.

I told my daughter the other day that Christmas is a magical time of year and it's "free"! The spirit of Christmas doesn't cost a penny and in today's society people think you have to be loaded and spend a fortune to have a good Christmas. Of course you want a roof over your head and food on the table, if you have that, it's all you need. I have fell on tough financial times but it NEVER ruined a Christmas for me. I enjoyed family, music, movies, decorations and of course the birth of Jesus!

Last year my daughter and her family fell on hard times. She got upset because she couldn't buy gifts for everyone and felt Christmas was ruined. I set her straight real quick and I know I taught her better than that. I said you will enjoy the holidays and all that matters is that we all get together and enjoy Christmas Day! I told her not to worry about her kids, the rest of the family will buy for them. It went very well and she did enjoy Christmas after all.

[snowberry]

Thanks for the sharing the memories of the 40's!

My father grew up in the 40's in the Dallas area, Oak Cliff. I am familiar where Clarence St. is, near Fair Park, I have a museum membership there. Did you visit Fair Park then? It has really changed over the years.

Yes, we moved away from Dallas in 48 and then moved back in 53. My friend Glenda and I used to walk down to the midway at Fair Park. Amazing that two teen aged girls could walk at night without fear in those days.

snowberry (who thanks Jesus for keeping us safe all these years ago)

[snowberry]

Snowberry, what can you tell us about Seasonal music on your childhood? So many of our Christmas "classics" come from the mid forties through the very early sixties. I just wonder what was played on the radio and home record players before what we now consider traditional?

It had to be a thrill to discover "new" Christmas music like Bing's 'White Christmas' for the first time! Of course, you would have probably been too young to realize it at the time.

I remember the great Christmas music. White Christmas, but mostly Silent Night, Away in a Manger. Those wonderful songs when I was a little girl. Then of course, Up on the Housetop (not sure if that was 40s or early 50s, Jingle Bells. The songs us kids listened to back then. I'm sure I listened to Bing and Sinatra but I was more interested in the words than who was singing them back then.

snowberry (who thanks Jesus for sweet sweet memories)

snowberry

[snowberry]

Another thing about the music, Jon. I remember singing more than listening to them on the radio. We listened to The Shadow (I think I called it the squeaking door) and other programs, but we liked to sing the Christmas songs in front of the little open heater. Can't believe I remember that.

snowberry (Jesus, please don't let me ever lose my memories)

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Yes, we moved away from Dallas in 48 and then moved back in 53. My friend Glenda and I used to walk down to the midway at Fair Park. Amazing that two teen aged girls could walk at night without fear in those days.

snowberry (who thanks Jesus for keeping us safe all these years ago)

Yes, so much has changed now as far as being able to walk at night.

[Snow-in-Texas]

Great stories! I agree that money doesn't make Christmas special it's being with family and what's in your heart.

I told my daughter the other day that Christmas is a magical time of year and it's "free"! The spirit of Christmas doesn't cost a penny and in today's society people think you have to be loaded and spend a fortune to have a good Christmas. Of course you want a roof over your head and food on the table, if you have that, it's all you need. I have fell on tough financial times but it NEVER ruined a Christmas for me. I enjoyed family, music, movies, decorations and of course the birth of Jesus!

Last year my daughter and her family fell on hard times. She got upset because she couldn't buy gifts for everyone and felt Christmas was ruined. I set her straight real quick and I know I taught her better than that. I said you will enjoy the holidays and all that matters is that we all get together and enjoy Christmas Day! I told her not to worry about her kids, the rest of the family will buy for them. It went very well and she did enjoy Christmas after all.


I can tell you that my whole perspective of Christmas has changed since getting together with you. Not that the gifts was the most important thing to me, but it was important to me. I used to stress out about what to get everyone, and would they like it. I usually did ok in that department. But I remember one Christmas I just didn't have the money to buy gifts for people, I was so depressed that year, that just shows how much importance I put into the gifts. I also felt guilty about the gifts I got, I even told people my situation, and said I would understand if they didn't get me gifts, but they still did, that just made me feel worse. For me it was always the fun of giving than getting. I still enjoy surprising my sweety with gifts, but that's as far as I go now.

[made582]

Thanks for sharing the stories.