Remember When: Thanksgiving, circa 1944

Things were looking up as Thanksgiving of 1944 drew near.

Though World War II was still raging, it was pretty clear that the Axis powers of Germany and Japan were headed for defeat at the hands of the Allies. Still, Americans knew from the news stories of battles and casualty lists that the days of hard work and loss of loved ones were far from over.

Looking back from our distance of 80 years later, let us ask ourselves a question. How did the people of Wyoming Valley prepare for and celebrate the joyous national holiday in wartime?

To put it another way, in such a dark era, what were they thankful for?

First, let’s straighten out the date controversy.

A few years earlier, Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt had ordered Thanksgiving moved from its traditional placement on the last Thursday in November to the fourth Thursday, a week earlier, the idea being to lengthen the “official” Christmas shopping season.

While some states continued to use the old date, Pennsylvania accepted the newer one.

Now, our question.

If we could be transported back in time to 1944, some differences would jump out at us.

When we in 2024 do our food shopping for Thanksgiving, about the most important decision we face is how big the turkey should be. Maybe having enough chairs is second on the list.

The families of 1944 had to do a culinary juggling act, considering that wartime food rationing was easing up but shortages were still a problem. With staples like sugar, cheese, butter and a few other everyday items still not back to pre-war levels, cooks had to use their ration coupons to stock up in advance and learn to be creative with recipes – like cakes baked without eggs.

Fortunately, though, coffee was again available for after-dinner conversation, with shortening making dessert preparation easier than it had been.

How did rationing work? American households were issued little booklets containing “coupons” and “stamps” (pages that could be torn out), and the shopper could buy what the grocer had in stock only up to the value specified. That meant, depending on household size, so much red meat or so much sugar per week.

Even if the host did manage to put a good repast on the table, getting family together for a traditional family Thanksgiving was another problem. Partly, the culprit was gasoline rationing, imposed in early 1942 to reduce driving and stretch the limited supply of rubber tires America could produce.

While “vital” workers got more, most Americans were authorized as few as three gallons a week, not enough for much holiday travel.

With coal also a limited commodity, Northeastern Pennsylvania’s anthracite miners had been ordered to work Thanksgiving Day, further thinning the ranks of relatives at the table.

So, the question remains: what were our predecessors thankful for as the holiday of 1944 approached?

Let us look at a Times Leader editorial of that week – one designed to remind us of our values in a dark time. “Above all, let us be grateful not only for the success of our cause,” it read, “but for the courage and sacrifices of our brave sons, brothers and husbands that made the victory possible.”

Can’t get the big menu? Can’t get gasoline or tires for your car?

Why would anyone in 1944 care?

The world we knew was coming back, and our own family members – the ones who should be at the table – were doing it.

Now there was something to celebrate.