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Christmas 1940
Originally published as a short story in Liberty Magazine. Set in the Netherlands, tells of the simple faith of a small, suffering family as they sustain themself against the evil forces of the oppressor.
61 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1940
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About the author
Eleanor Roosevelt
141 books1,682 followersAnna Eleanor Roosevelt was an American political leader who used her influence as an active First Lady from 1933 to 1945 to promote the New Deal policies of her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as taking a prominent role as an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, she continued to be an internationally prominent author and speaker for the New Deal coalition. She was a suffragist who worked to enhance the status of working women, although she opposed the Equal Rights Amendment because she believed it would adversely affect women. In the 1940s, she was one of the co-founders of Freedom House and supported the formation of the United Nations. Eleanor Roosevelt founded the UN Association of the United States in 1943 to advance support for the formation of the UN. She was a delegate to the UN General Assembly from 1945 and 1952, a job for which she was appointed by President Harry S. Truman and confirmed by the United States Congress. During her time at the United Nations chaired the committee that drafted and approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. President Truman called her the "First Lady of the World" in tribute to her human rights achievements.
She was one of the most admired persons of the 20th century, according to Gallup's List of Widely Admired People.
She was one of the most admired persons of the 20th century, according to Gallup's List of Widely Admired People.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 13, 2021
Originally published in 1940, as a short story in Liberty Magazine, and then in this picture-book format that same year, Eleanor Roosevelt's holiday tale - reprinted in 1986 as Christmas, 1940 - has as much to tell us about the time in which it was written, as about the holiday of Christmas, and is a fascinating period piece. It is also somewhat difficult to track down, in this format - the 1940s picture-book, with illustrations by Fritz Kredel - and I had to travel to the only library in my county system that holds a copy, this past weekend, and read it in their special collections room. What fun!
The story of Marta, a young Dutch girl whose father had recently been killed in the fighting, it opens on a cold and snowy night - St. Nicholas Eve, 1940 - flashing back to the previous St. Nicholas' Eve, when Marta's father was still alive, and home on leave, and contrasting it to the current time of mourning and want. Marta, who feels that God is far away - perhaps too far to care about the troubles of a little girl - has no difficulty believing in the Christ Child, to whom she confides her hopes and dreams. Although none of the abundant feast of the previous year is left to her and her mother, there is one last holiday candle remaining, and Marta decides to use it to light the way for the Christ Child, on his journey through the dark night. It is while she is gazing at this candle, from outside her humble home - gauging how far the light pierces the gloom - that she encounters a tall man in a dark cloak, who, inquiring as to what she is doing, sets out to convince her that there is no such thing as the Christ Child, that it is silly to think a child could lead the world, or that strength could be gained through love and sacrifice, rather than through power and fear. But the stranger - 'the power' - has not counted on the strength of faith, and of hope, and though he leaves unaware of it, a great miracle has occurred before his very eyes...
Written at a time of great uncertainty and fear, when the forces of evil were unleashed in the world, Eleanor Roosevelt's Christmas story is clearly meant as a message of hope, and - although the United States had not yet entered WWII - of solidarity with the occupied peoples of Europe. No countries are mentioned in the text, and the stranger is never explicitly identified as a Nazi (a word Roosevelt never uses), but no reader of that time could have failed to understand what he represented, or the contrast being drawn between the love to be found in the Christmas story, and the forces of hatred which drove Nazi ideology. As Roosevelt writes in her brief preface, "The times are so serious that even children should be made to understand that there are vital differences in people's beliefs which lead to differences in behavior."
This explicitly didactic purpose is probably one of the reasons that Christmas: A Story has not, despite its reprint in the 1980s, become a holiday classic. Its aim, in contrasting the power of love and hatred - as exemplified by Christianity and Nazism, respectively - and encouraging readers to believe that the times of darkness in which they were then living would pass, if they had faith, and defended their beliefs, is admirable, given the events of the day, but it also means that much of the meaning of the story is tied to a specific historical moment. I suppose one could argue that there will always be times of darkness, and that the story therefore has wider relevance, and that is certainly true, up until a point. But in the end, this little book had more interest for me as an example of a story written for children during the height of WWII, than as an exploration of Christmas itself.
And little it was! I was surprised, when the librarian took it out of its locked glass case, to discover how tiny it was - smaller than my pen! - as I'd been expecting more of a standard picture-book. I was charmed by the six engraving-style illustrations, done by Fritz Kredel, whose work I recognized from one of the editions of the Brothers Grimm we had in the house, growing up. All in all, I'm glad to have read Roosevelt's Christmas tale, although my main interest was historical, rather than festive. Recommended primarily to those interested in the children's literature of the period.
The story of Marta, a young Dutch girl whose father had recently been killed in the fighting, it opens on a cold and snowy night - St. Nicholas Eve, 1940 - flashing back to the previous St. Nicholas' Eve, when Marta's father was still alive, and home on leave, and contrasting it to the current time of mourning and want. Marta, who feels that God is far away - perhaps too far to care about the troubles of a little girl - has no difficulty believing in the Christ Child, to whom she confides her hopes and dreams. Although none of the abundant feast of the previous year is left to her and her mother, there is one last holiday candle remaining, and Marta decides to use it to light the way for the Christ Child, on his journey through the dark night. It is while she is gazing at this candle, from outside her humble home - gauging how far the light pierces the gloom - that she encounters a tall man in a dark cloak, who, inquiring as to what she is doing, sets out to convince her that there is no such thing as the Christ Child, that it is silly to think a child could lead the world, or that strength could be gained through love and sacrifice, rather than through power and fear. But the stranger - 'the power' - has not counted on the strength of faith, and of hope, and though he leaves unaware of it, a great miracle has occurred before his very eyes...
Written at a time of great uncertainty and fear, when the forces of evil were unleashed in the world, Eleanor Roosevelt's Christmas story is clearly meant as a message of hope, and - although the United States had not yet entered WWII - of solidarity with the occupied peoples of Europe. No countries are mentioned in the text, and the stranger is never explicitly identified as a Nazi (a word Roosevelt never uses), but no reader of that time could have failed to understand what he represented, or the contrast being drawn between the love to be found in the Christmas story, and the forces of hatred which drove Nazi ideology. As Roosevelt writes in her brief preface, "The times are so serious that even children should be made to understand that there are vital differences in people's beliefs which lead to differences in behavior."
This explicitly didactic purpose is probably one of the reasons that Christmas: A Story has not, despite its reprint in the 1980s, become a holiday classic. Its aim, in contrasting the power of love and hatred - as exemplified by Christianity and Nazism, respectively - and encouraging readers to believe that the times of darkness in which they were then living would pass, if they had faith, and defended their beliefs, is admirable, given the events of the day, but it also means that much of the meaning of the story is tied to a specific historical moment. I suppose one could argue that there will always be times of darkness, and that the story therefore has wider relevance, and that is certainly true, up until a point. But in the end, this little book had more interest for me as an example of a story written for children during the height of WWII, than as an exploration of Christmas itself.
And little it was! I was surprised, when the librarian took it out of its locked glass case, to discover how tiny it was - smaller than my pen! - as I'd been expecting more of a standard picture-book. I was charmed by the six engraving-style illustrations, done by Fritz Kredel, whose work I recognized from one of the editions of the Brothers Grimm we had in the house, growing up. All in all, I'm glad to have read Roosevelt's Christmas tale, although my main interest was historical, rather than festive. Recommended primarily to those interested in the children's literature of the period.
November 29, 2015
This very short story is more like a vignette; it has a very simple plot and little character development. It takes place in Nazi-occupied Holland in 1940 and tells about a young mother and her daughter who are spending Christmas without their husband and father. The little girl has put a candle in the window to guide the Christ Child to her door. They are visited by a German soldier who tells them that there is no hope in the legends and powerlessness of religion. The story evokes the spirit of Christmas that is “Hope.” The foreword by Elliot Roosevelt puts the story into its historical context, recounting the worldwide fear and devastation in the winter of 1940. He says that his mother’s message to the downtrodden people of the world was to have faith and do not despair. Freedom will again triumph. I was touched by this story, having read it just days after the horrific terrorist attacks in Paris November 13, 2015. I would hope that the world can still have hope that good will prevail.
December 5, 2017
This short story is set in the occupied Netherlands, in 1940.
There are 62 pages in the small hardcover book I have, purchased from the Dodge City Public Library, which is about 5”x6” published in 1940. There’s a lot of “blank” space on each page, with the text occupying maybe between 1/3 to ½ of each page. The first 17 pages of this book, Eleanor Roosevelt’s son, Elliott shares not only his views of what was going on in the time that his mother wrote this, but the war-related events that led up to this publication, which originally was for a short story in Liberty Magazine.
Visually, it’s charming. The cover is simple, with a small picture of a chair by a fireplace where a string across the fireplace holds “stockings,” but not the kind we’d see today, these are made for wearing and not just hanging for decoration. A sign of the times, and the level of poverty within.
Inside this home there live a mother and her child. The father is a soldier, and while the child misses him, she is aware of the importance of what he is doing.
The child wants to put the one candle they have left in the window to guide the Christ child through the darkness to their welcoming home. She senses a man nearby before she sees him, knowing at the same time it is not her father. He asks what she is doing, she replies that she’s lighting a way for the Christ child. He tells her that she should not believe in such nonsense.
The writing is not lovely, the story is too short to have much impact, but in reading what Elliott Roosevelt had to say about this story, about his mother and the times, it was meant as a gesture of kindness and good will. I like to think of this as a gift.
”’Have faith,’ she was saying to the oppressed peoples of the world. ‘Have faith and do not despair. God will overcome the powerful and greedy tyrants. Freedom will be yours again.’”
There are 62 pages in the small hardcover book I have, purchased from the Dodge City Public Library, which is about 5”x6” published in 1940. There’s a lot of “blank” space on each page, with the text occupying maybe between 1/3 to ½ of each page. The first 17 pages of this book, Eleanor Roosevelt’s son, Elliott shares not only his views of what was going on in the time that his mother wrote this, but the war-related events that led up to this publication, which originally was for a short story in Liberty Magazine.
Visually, it’s charming. The cover is simple, with a small picture of a chair by a fireplace where a string across the fireplace holds “stockings,” but not the kind we’d see today, these are made for wearing and not just hanging for decoration. A sign of the times, and the level of poverty within.
Inside this home there live a mother and her child. The father is a soldier, and while the child misses him, she is aware of the importance of what he is doing.
The child wants to put the one candle they have left in the window to guide the Christ child through the darkness to their welcoming home. She senses a man nearby before she sees him, knowing at the same time it is not her father. He asks what she is doing, she replies that she’s lighting a way for the Christ child. He tells her that she should not believe in such nonsense.
The writing is not lovely, the story is too short to have much impact, but in reading what Elliott Roosevelt had to say about this story, about his mother and the times, it was meant as a gesture of kindness and good will. I like to think of this as a gift.
”’Have faith,’ she was saying to the oppressed peoples of the world. ‘Have faith and do not despair. God will overcome the powerful and greedy tyrants. Freedom will be yours again.’”
November 17, 2009
I so wanted to like this book. I guess it's hard to put character development into that few pages. (It was originally a magazine story, after all, not a book.)
There is a part in the middle that made me go and see if I was missing a page. It was worded very awkwardly or edited poorly. I finally gave up and skipped that paragraph or two.
There is a part in the middle that made me go and see if I was missing a page. It was worded very awkwardly or edited poorly. I finally gave up and skipped that paragraph or two.
December 21, 2023
Text: 1 star; Illustrations 4 stars
Look thus book up to see Fritz Kredel's illustrations, which are outstanding! Though earnest and well-meant, Roosevelt's text is wooden and awkward. It may interest people already interested in Eleanor Roosevelt, but it's not great literature. The star here is the amazing woodcuts by Fritz Kredel. Kredel was born in Germany and fled in 1938. This book marks an early piece in his long car, eventually settling in the U.S. American Artist magazine called him "one of the world's greatest living woodcutters" in 1956, and in 1961, he was commissioned to create a woodcut of the Presidential Seal for John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.
Look thus book up to see Fritz Kredel's illustrations, which are outstanding! Though earnest and well-meant, Roosevelt's text is wooden and awkward. It may interest people already interested in Eleanor Roosevelt, but it's not great literature. The star here is the amazing woodcuts by Fritz Kredel. Kredel was born in Germany and fled in 1938. This book marks an early piece in his long car, eventually settling in the U.S. American Artist magazine called him "one of the world's greatest living woodcutters" in 1956, and in 1961, he was commissioned to create a woodcut of the Presidential Seal for John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.
December 28, 2022
A beautiful book with beautiful type and a loving introduction from Elliott Roosevelt.
The book is chilling . It was written and published a year before American entered the war. It was written as a magazine article and widely read.
This book was published in 1986. I was 39, and many of the silent Generation were still alive. Those who survived WWII and Vietnam. Sad to think where we are today.
The book is chilling . It was written and published a year before American entered the war. It was written as a magazine article and widely read.
This book was published in 1986. I was 39, and many of the silent Generation were still alive. Those who survived WWII and Vietnam. Sad to think where we are today.
December 26, 2023
I came across this book at a book sale, and thought it looked interesting. I didn't know what to expect, though.
I found the story rather strange and confusing. I'm not exactly sure what Mrs. Roosevelt believed about faith in Jesus Christ, and it was not clear from this book. My favorite part of the whole book was the introduction to the book, written by her son, Elliott.
I found the story rather strange and confusing. I'm not exactly sure what Mrs. Roosevelt believed about faith in Jesus Christ, and it was not clear from this book. My favorite part of the whole book was the introduction to the book, written by her son, Elliott.
January 3, 2024
I thought this book was a bit weird. It was interesting because Eleanor Rosevelt wrote it and her son provided the introduction, but the story itself was quite odd. I'm not sure what Mrs. Rosevelt believed about Jesus Christ and salvation because it was not plain in her book. This is one I don't plan to read again.
February 5, 2018
This very short story had such a hopeful introduction but I did find it a bit confusing near the end. I realize it was written at a dark time in history but I think the message was lost trying to make the image of faith a tangible.
December 11, 2020
I thought I could read this to my grandchildren age 5 & 7 but I won't . Do not think they would like it or understand it. I'm old and thought it was a nice little story. I won't be recommending it to anyone.
December 30, 2022
This Christmas story of Marta glimpses the true magic of Christmas with the Christ child. Set in 1940 in Europe, the war is the backdrop and courage is the understory. With beautiful memories and tender details. Roosevelt invites the reader back in time.
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December 24, 2020“the is no time for cross words when you know how few minutes there are left”
On Christmas hope 🌎
On Christmas hope 🌎
December 30, 2024
Slightly odd and stilted little story about Marta and her family and the effects of the German occupation of Holland in 1940. A mysterious "dark man" confounds but the Christ Child brings hope.
January 6, 2014
One of my Christmas books I read every year. It is a way of marking the holiday. Some are better written than others but they all evoke feelings of what the holiday means.
December 31, 2013
An interesting little story of faith and hope in a dark, dark time in history.
December 18, 2016
Historical fiction. A short story about a family from the Netherlands who is trying to survive while the father goes to fight in the war. Applicable to the times in which it was written.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews