By Christmas 1941 rationing and shortages of everything meant that Christmas was going to be very different to the ones they used to have before the war.
Packaging was no longer permitted so any gifts that could be found in the shops that were suitable for children particularly had to be carried openly. Wrapping paper was no longer available but Jean, Joanna’s housekeeper and good friend, had wisely saved paper from the previous years and by ironing it had made it as good as new.
All factories were now solely making things for the war and there were no toys of any sort available in the shops. However, parents were determined if they could to get a few toys and gifts for their little ones.
An ingenious system – mentioned in Christmas Baby at Goodwill House – became quite common. The milkman – he did his round his horse and cart and called on most people and also the postman wrote down what families were looking for and what they had to swap. They then pass this information on but weren’t involved in collection and delivery of the actual toys just the conduit for information.
At Goodwill House the family decided to do something about this shortage. They collected all the bits and pieces that had been hiding in the attics for decades started to make things that could be taken round to the families in Stodham and also if there were any left over to Ramsgate.
National dried milk tends were painted – probably with unsafe paint nobody knew about the dangers of lead poisoning then – a few pebbles were put inside and the top was glued on. Then an knitted handle was attached so toddlers could drag it around the floor and here the rattling of the stones against the tin.
They also unravelled jumpers scarves and other knitted items, wash the wall and then reused it to knit and crochet soft toys.
The men helped by making dolls houses from things like old birdcages, finding bits of wood and whittling a wooden toy of some sort.
Scraps of material were turned into stockings to hold the gifts and also to make dolls clothes.
I can remember my husband saying that he only got one wooden, hand carved farm animal for Christmas and no stocking at all.
I’m shocked at how much is spent on children at Christmas nowadays. This puts so much stress on families who are struggling to make ends meet in the current cost of living crisis as they don’t want their children to feel left out. I’m sure parents in the 1940s felt exactly the same.