Christmas mail evokes all the images of Christmas at home
Imagine fighting a war on Christmas day. The one day, of all days, that should be peaceful. The reality is, my imagination can’t do justice to the experiences of those who would have found themselves in this situation. But, what I can imagine, is how incredibly meaningful it would be to receive a piece of Christmas mail from home.
Remember, email, texting, snapchat, skype did not exist, so the mail was the only contact between family members at any time of year.
These images (courtesy of author Elinor Florence) are powerful in their own right. They speak to mail being a lifeline back home, a link to normalcy at Christmas time. A time where stockings were hung, Christmas pudding simmered on the stove and the aroma of turkey wafted through the house. It allowed those fighting to forget, even for a brief moment, the cold muddy ditches, the bombings, and death itself.
Reflecting on how this must have felt for the writer of the Christmas mail certainly puts our own worries into perspective. Most of us don’ t have to grapple with the question everyone had on their mind, but never wanted to say out loud, “Will I ever see them again?”
Memories come in packages
What could be more wonderful than receiving a package from back home? The soldiers were no doubt overjoyed to receive these paper wrapped bundles. It allowed them to imagine, to remember, what is was like being home at Christmas.
I encourage you to visit Elinor Florence.com for more incredible photos and commentary on the role mail played in war time at Christmas.
Do you have a story about how mail at Christmas changed everything for you?