Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 448

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Dec. 21, 1942: German forces under Manstein are within 30 miles of Stalingrad, but Hitler won’t allow Sixth Army to break out to meet them. British cross Indian-Burmese border into Arakan Peninsula.

Today in World War II History

B-17F Flying Fortress70 Years Ago—Dec. 20, 1942: US Eighth Air Force sends 101 bombers to hit Romilly-sur-Seine air depot outside Paris, 6 B-17s lost. Japanese planes bomb Calcutta at night.

The Advent Wreath - Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

One of my family's favorite Christmas traditions is the Advent wreath. On each of the four Sundays in Advent (the four weeks before Christmas), our family gathers around the wreath with cookies and eggnog and hot chocolate. Not only is this cozy family time, but it focuses us with joyful anticipation on the birth of Jesus.

This Sunday, December 23, is the fourth Sunday in Advent, but it's never too late to participate. If you'd like to join the Sundin family in this tradition, here are some family friendly, kid-tested ideas. Adjust these to the ages of any children present to create a meaningful time for your family.

Advent Week Four - The Angels' Candle

Candles:

Light two purple candles (the Prophets' Candle and the Bethlehem Candle), the pink candle (the Shepherd's Candle), and the last purple candle (the Angels' Candle). The purple symbolizes penance. Traditionally, the father lights the candles.

Story:

Explain how God sent His angels as messengers to tell Mary she would give birth to the Messiah, to reassure Joseph, to announce the birth to the shepherds, and to warn Joseph of Herod's plot.

Scriptures:

Luke 1:26-38 (how an angel told Mary she would give birth to the Messiah)
Matthew 1:18-25 (how an angel told Joseph that Jesus was the Messiah)
Luke 2:8-14 (how a host of angels announced Jesus' birth to the shepherds)
Matthew 2:13-15 (how an angel warned Joseph of Herod's plot and told him to escape to Egypt)
Matthew 2:19-21 (how an angel told Joseph when it was safe to return to Israel)

Songs:

"Hark! the Herald Angels Sing"
"Angels We Have Heard on High"
"It Came upon a Midnight Clear"
"Angels from the Realms of Glory"

Let's all bring glory to the newborn king this Christmas!

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Dec. 19, 1942: French take Pichon, Tunisia from Germans.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Dec. 18, 1942: US sub Albacore sinks Japanese light cruiser Tenryu off New Guinea. US lands on Musita Island off Buna, New Guinea.

Christmas in World War II - The Home Front

Although World War II did not take a holiday, Americans at home and abroad did their best to celebrate Christmas. Wartime separations and deprivations made festivities poignant and bittersweet. Last week’s post looked at Christmas for American servicemen and women, and this week’s looks at Christmas on the Home Front.

Families on the Home Front dealt with painful separations as sons and daughters, husbands and fathers were away from home in the service. The holiday season highlighted this pain. Those left at home wanted to make Christmas festive, especially for the children.

Gift giving presented unique challenges during World War II. While wartime income was high, few products were available on the shelves. Many consumer items weren’t manufactured due to shortages of raw materials and conversions of factories for military use. Clothing wasn’t rationed in the United States, but restrictions did apply and people were encouraged to make do with less. By 1944, a severe paper shortage even reduced the supply of books.

Hardest of all were the scarcities of toys for the children. Toys with metal or rubber parts weren’t available. Manufacturers switched to wood and cardboard and to the new plastics that were coming out. Popular wartime toys included dolls, wooden jeeps and airplanes, and “Bild-A-Sets,” which allowed children to construct cardboard play-sets, often with military themes.

The US government provided a solution to the gift dilemma and encouraged the purchase of war bonds for Christmas presents.

Christmas dinners weren’t quite as elaborate as before the war. Rationing of sugar and butter meant fewer sweets. Meat, including ham, was rationed. Although turkey wasn’t rationed, the armed services worked hard to provide turkey dinners to the servicemen overseas, which meant fewer turkeys on the Home Front.

The holiday tradition of traveling to visit family and friends had to be curtailed during the war. Gasoline was rationed, and civilians were discouraged from train travel to free the rail system for movement of troops and supplies.Outdoor Christmas lights were one of the first wartime casualties. In Antioch, California, for example, outdoor Christmas lights were turned off on December 11, 1941, and the tradition of lighting the community Christmas tree was postponed for the duration. Blackout conditions on the coasts, and later a nationwide dim-out to conserve fuel meant Christmas might be merry—but not quite as bright.

Christmas in World War II left a lasting musical legacy. Bing Crosby’s recording of “White Christmas” topped the charts in December 1942, and has since sold over 50 million copies, making it one of the biggest hits of all time. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” was the hit for Christmas 1943, and Judy Garland’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” was in the Top Ten in 1944. These songs share a soft melancholy, a nostalgia for home, a wistfulness for tradition, and an optimistic hope for the future that resonated in wartime and still resonates today.

Some more fun facts about Christmas on the Home Front, including Christmas trees and ornaments can be found on the National WWII Museum Blog.

Celebrating Christmas in World War II required ingenuity and flexibility, but Americans at home and abroad set aside their troubles to commemorate Christ’s birth.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Dec. 17, 1942: In Libya, Montgomery takes El Agheila, and Rommel retreats toward Buerat el Hsun. British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden reports Nazi mass murder of Jews to Parliament. US begins offensive on Guadalcanal toward Mt. Austen, which dominates island.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Dec. 16, 1942: Soviets halt German drive to relieve surrounded troops at Stalingrad. German Sixth Army in Stalingrad runs out of rations, air lift can’t keep up. US engineers begin construction of Ledo Road from Ledo, India to Burma Road.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Dec. 15, 1942: US authorizes Silver Star decoration for gallantry not warranting Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross. US Coast Guard cutter Ingham sinks U-626 inNorth Atlantic.

Book Beat - Amish Day!

For those of you (like me!), who haven't gotten a start on their Christmas shopping yet (hangs head in shame), I'm giving away two delightful books today!

The Memory Jar by Tricia Goyer tells of Sarah Shelter, an Amish woman living in West Kootenai, Montana. Still grieving the death of her childhood best friend, Sarah keeps mementos in jars to remind herself of special moments. When Jathan Shrock comes to town, they discover a shared love of bakeries and baking. However, Sarah's love for baking "fancy" cupcakes isn't well received by Jathan's more traditional hometown, and Jathan is pressures him to take a factory job to support his family.

The Memory Jar is more than a sweet romance. Sarah and Jathan juggle the desires of family and community, their personal dreams, and following God's will. And Sarah also has important lessons to live about treasuring the past instead of dwelling in the past. Tricia Goyer's writing, as always, is engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

If you lament the lack of good Christian fiction for elementary-schoolers, you'll be thrilled by Life with Lily . Suzanne Woods Fisher and Mary Ann Kinsinger have started a new series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp, about an Amish girl, her little brother, and their new baby. Reminiscent of all the wonderful chapter books I enjoyed as a child, this book is a charmer. Based on Mary Ann Kunsinger's Amish childhood, each chapter tells funny, interesting, and adventursome stories. And the simple pen and ink illustrations are darling. I would recommend this book for third-fifth graders to read on their own, and for kindergarten-second graders for reading aloud - or on their own if they're advanced readers.

Don't miss the amazing website for this series (http://adventuresoflilylapp.com/) which has coloring pages, games, recipes, and an "Ask Lily" feature.

I have a copy of EACH of these books to give away! To enter the drawing, please leave a comment below telling what interests you about the Amish, which book you'd like to win (you can enter to win both), and your email address in the following format so I can contact you if you win - sarah[at]sarahsundin[dot]com. I'll announce the winners Monday, December 17.