Christmas, 1941

Christmas of 1941 was supposed to be a boom year for the merchants of Honolulu. The "invasion" of military and civilian defense workers from the mainland caused a lava flow of disposable income into the local economy. It was going to be "the best Christmas ever" according to the business associations.

Lights were strung across Nuuanu Avenue, the ads in the paper offered luxury items, and sailors were buying gifts for loved ones that ranged from "I Love You, Mom" embroidered pillows to fine jewelry.

But with the advent of the war, all the Christmas lights were taken down. All the shops had to close before dusk. The new bikes, dolls, and toys that were ordered for local children from mainland stores, didn't arrive. The gifts were sitting in crates on San Francisco docks because unessential freight was shoved aside to make room for weapons, personnel, and military supplies.


In San Francisco, the first shipload of evacuees from Hawaii landed on Christmas Day. Among them were women who were new widows, and women who had not seen or heard about their husbands since the day of the attack. The ship crossed the ocean in "silent mode" as the crew listened for enemy vessels. And in the mornings, the women rolled bandages and dressings.

PHOTO: Christmas trees were not shipped that year. (There are differing accounts of the reason.) Alterntative Christmas trees were Norfolk Pine trees or artistic renderings of trees.

Women of World War II Hawaii