The idea of sugaring plums and other fruits and roots originated in the 1600’s in England as a way, along with smoking and salting meats, to preserve foods.

Christmas 1941 was the first Christmas holiday celebrated under the year-old food and supply rationing program in the U.S.

During the years of WWII, food and supply shortages required rationing and sacrifice of some comforts at home.

The dessert course of Tudor meal was called the “banqueting course” at the meal’s end and consisted of a table full of sweet and elaborate confections.

Playing cards was a normal part of upper society diversion in Tudor England. Families and their guest would often retire to the withdrawing room, or parlor, to play and listen to music, and play charades, dice games, and board and card games.

Paper dolls in various forms appeared in Japan as early as A.D. 900 and were used in purification ceremonies. In France in the mid 1700’s, “patins”, or “Dancing Jack” puppets were popular.

With a massive quantity of mail going back and forth between families and troops during WWII, Army post offices, fleet post offices and US post offices flooded with mail.

The cheapest form of entertainment in the 1940’s, and the most popular during WWII, was radio. It was widely available and accessible both in the U.S. and abroad.