Vigo County Historical Society

Cards gave comfort to soldiers

The rather formal message on the front of this military Christmas Card, on display at the museum was "Christmas Greetings to my Husband in the Service."

It probably disguised a very real longing felt by the sender, for the intended receiver was a soldier during World War II. The verse inside echoed the longing but it also expressed the hope and optimism of families on the homefront.

Card companies like Hallmark, Norcross, Buzza, Rust Craft and Gibson created special holiday cards like this one by Greetings Inc. (made in the United States and copyrighted in 1943). They had messages like "Missing You" or "Across the Miles" for servicemen fighting overseas.

Patriotic symbols--the eagle and shield on the front and the Statue of Liberty and star on the inside--were used on many cards, whether they were to be sent to military personnel or not. Christmas cards especially showed the mounting patriotism of Americans by portraying Santa Claus and Uncle Sam carrying flags or flags draped over snow-covered homes.

Although it was printed in colorful red and blue with white embossed holly and eagle, this card is rather simple compared to many card designs during the late 1930s and early 1940s that were more ornate, some even featuring decorative attachments like feathers, gold foil, ribbons, die cuts, cellophane windows, glitter and flocking.

On the homefront in Terre Haute hopeful families who sent cards like these were spending the holiday season doing many of the same things they did before the war--visiting friends, going to parties and club meetings, attending pageants and performances and exchanging gifts. But they gave time contributing to the war effort in every way they could.

Often the parties were for soldiers on furlough or about to go off to boot training, like the one for Clyde Sampson in late November 1943. Performances, like the Women’s Department Club puppet show in December 1943 were given for soldiers and sailors at the USO as well as for schoolchildren.

Clubs like Tri Kappa had traditional holiday gatherings and some entertained soldiers and packed boxes to send to the boys overseas.

For whom this card was intended and why it was not sent is unknown. But throughout the war years thousands of wives, sisters, girlfriends and mothers sent similar messages of hope and longing to GIs and waited on the homefront for their safe return.