Christmas in Greenbelt, Maryland





What was Christmas like in Greenbelt, MD during the late 1930s and the 1940s? According to December 1939 issues of the Greenbelt Cooperator, Christmas past and present remain very similar.

Greenbelt Christmases focused on "Jolly Old St. Nick" distributing presents, family togetherness, and generosity, as do modern Christmases. There were Christmas trees and a community tree in fact, that was lit each night in late December and would remain lit until after the New Year (Greenbelt Cooperator 1). Some very particular children wrote their letters to Santa, and these were even published in the local newspaper in the "Letters to Santa" column:



"Dear Santa Claus,

I want a scooter with a seat, a piano with a music book, and that is all for this time. Good bye Santa Claus"


"Dear Santa Claus,

Will you please bring me a wagon and a toy farm with horses, cows, chickens, a silo, a windmill, a farmer, farmer's wife, two children and a police dog."

Another child whose letter was published in the paper was not quite so particular in her requests and "would be pleased with anything you wish to send me, Santa Claus. I remain one of your little admiring friends." Despite the economic conditions of the day, children did receive presents (Neville). Although they probably did not receive as many presents as children do today, each child did receive a gift of some sort (Neville).





Of course presents are not the only characteristic that makes a 1939 Greenbelt Christmas similar to today. There was caroling and, of course, delicious cooking (Greenbelt Cooperator 1). In the December 14, 1939 issue of the Greenbelt Cooperator, Mrs. Greenbelt Suggested a few recipes to Greenbelt Homemakers:



Christmas Cranberry Cream Cheese Tarts

(Pastry for 8 shells)

2 cups pastry flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Bake rounds of pastry on inverted muffin tins or alluminum star molds. A sprinkling of orange rind will give the pastry an additional tang of flavor.



Cranberry Chesse Filling

2 cups strained cranberry sauce
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
12 marshmallows
1/4 cup walnut meats, chopped


Place the cranberry sauce in coarse sieve and let drain slightly w/only 2 cups thick suace remaining. Whip cream until stiff and add cream cheese that has been mashed smooth with a fork. Fold marshmallows into cream. Mix together walnut meats, cranberries, and cream mixture very lightly. Pile into cooled tart shells. Garnish with a candied green cherry.


Shirred Eggs

Shirred eggs are easy, just bake them. Combine 1/2 lb ground, boiled ham with 1/2 cup cracker crumbs and 3 tablespoons milk. Press into greased muffin pans. Break an egg in each. Bake in moderate oven.



In the spirit of the season, Greenbelt parents enjoyed presents from their children, made with love and care in their son or daughter's school classroom (Greenbelt Cooperator 6). Children in the first grade made gifts such as aprons, tea towels, ash trays, and pads for hot dishes (greenbelt Cooperator 6). Children in the upper grade levels would have made gifts such as candles from logs, memo pads, book ends, tie racks, door stops, and Yule Logs (Greenbelt Cooperator 6).


Though many aspects of American life have changed since the 1930s and 1940s, one thing remains the same: the true spirit of Christmas.


For information on the origins of Christmas, visit:

A History of Christmas


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