As fighting raged across Europe, families on the home front still tried to bring a sense of normality to the festive season, although some traditions had to be adapted to account for the threat of bombing raids, goods shortages, and the reality of spending the holidays apart from loved ones.
CHRISTMAS DURING THE BLITZ
Being in an air raid shelter didn’t mean you couldn’t celebrate
CHRISTMAS DURING THE BLITZ
The German bombing campaign of 1940 and 1941 put a dampener on Christmas
The Christmas of 1939 wasn’t much different to previous years in terms of celebrations, although for most people, the absence of family members marked the traditional get-together. But the Christmas of 1940 was a different story. After 57 consecutive nights of bombing raids between September and November 1940, there was a small respite on Christmas and Boxing Day but, by 29 December, many families were rushing for the safety of air raid shelters once more. Rationing meant Christmas dinners looked, and tasted, very different, while the blackout put an end to festive lights on the streets. And as fuel rationing and travel restrictions began to bite, family celebrations were local affairs.