A LOOK BACK:Parties and decorations from Christmas 1940

I hope some of you had the opportunity to see the Light a Light of Love event at the pier Dec. 2, as the city kicked off this year’s holiday celebrations.

For me, it wasn’t the lighting of the snowflakes that impressed me. It was the Christmas parade down Main Street.

It reminded me of all those early Christmas parades we’ve had here in Huntington Beach and how important a part they’ve played in our community.

This parade, like past parades, featured local celebrities. This time it was our former mayor Dave Sullivan riding in a silver-colored BMW and waving to the crowd.

But the one part of the parade that has remained the same is the arrival of Santa Claus. Whether riding on a fire truck or on his sleigh, he has brought smiles to children over the many years.

I must say that the volunteers who helped put this event together deserve a round of applause, three cheers and a pat on the back for all their efforts this year.

This week, we’ll continue our look at how our great town celebrated Christmas in 1940.

It was in the home at 218 8th Street of Charles Graser that plans were being made for their Christmas party for the Children’s Society of the Christian Service.

The society’s president Dolores Hawkins, along with Louise Graser and Pearl Ross, were checking over the final details before the party was to begin on Dec. 21.

Part of what makes the people of Huntington Beach so special is their generosity, and at this time of the year their hearts fill with the spirit of giving to others.

The people of the McCallen, McVicar and Rood oil company came through with a donation of $250 to add to the already $200 in the city’s Christmas basket fund.

With this money, the city was sure to have enough money to provide food baskets to all the needy families in Huntington Beach that holiday season.

Members of our volunteer fire department would spend part of their holiday distributing those baskets on Christmas Eve.

I think the words of former mayor Marcus McCallen summed up the feeling of many at the time when he said, “We do not want to have a single person in Huntington Beach go hungry this Christmas.”

The younger members of the Baptist Church’s Sunday School put on a holiday program titled “Christmas Babe,” with the children reciting the story and singing. Music was provided by Eber Flaws.

The adults of the church were also having a Christmas cantata titled “The Child Jesus” at their evening service at the church at Sixth and Orange.

The Methodist Church held both a morning and an evening Christmas program.

Through the open door of the church at 11th and Orange, neighbors passing by could hear the voice of Roy K. Smith echoing the songs of Christmas, along with Christmas carols played on the trumpet by Stanley Smith.

A candlelight service marked the evening service as Ivy Lyon led her girls in several carols, while the senior choir — led by Ralph Turner — gave us a rendition of “The Birthday of the King.”

On the next night, the church held a special children’s Christmas program that featured a request for members of the congregation to bring staple supplies for distribution at the David and Margaret School, as part of the church’s White Christmas celebration.

“When the Light Shone” was the title of the children’s program held at the Christian Church.

Taking their parts seriously were Juanita Speer, Betty St Clair, Tom King, Nancy Pickering, Pat Davis, Frankie Pate, Elmer Benson, Jim Axton and Dorothy Rush.

The Church of God’s contribution to the holiday would be a Christmas party with treats for the children and a program that included a vocal by Donnie Hawes, Betty Ducommon on the violin and John Rohrig on the banjo.

It would be a Heirloom Christmas buffet that members of the P.E.O. Sisterhood would hold in the home of Arthur Wilson, located on the Standard Oil camp.

The ladies brought rare old china, glassware and polished silver for their Christmas luncheon.

Margaret Elliott brought a doll her son played with as a small child.

That doll and several more from Margaret’s collection can be seen at the Newland House Museum.

A fine Christmas tree, gifts and Santa would form a part of the Rotary Club’s program held that year at the Golden Bear Cafe. In charge of the program was the Rev. J.G. Hurst and William Gallienne.

A Christmas dance recital featuring Jimmy Kettler, Joyce Albert, Edith Reed and Kae Ewing would be held at the Woodman Hall in Santa Ana.

Through the generosity of the City Council and local merchants, a Christmas shrine was erected for the lighting ceremony held at Lake Park under the direction of Marcus Howard.

The decorations were hung and city park Supt. Richard Beeson built the shrine.

Standard Oil Company received an award for the best all-around lighted Christmas tree from Frank Bundy, the president of the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce.

This tree was on the shore end of our pier and was visible from miles offshore and to the people strolling along Main Street.

The chamber awarded Tovatt Hardware first prize for the best merchant’s window displaying Christmas merchandise.

We have heard of bar hopping, but how many of you ever heard of party hopping? Howard and Mary Smith became the champion Christmas party hoppers.

In the morning, they celebrated a Christmas breakfast at the home of Roy Smith. Then, they had a huge afternoon meal with the Marcus Howard family and finished the day with a Christmas feast at the home of Josh Pyle.

The Press-Telegram newspaper held a Christmas contest for the best-lighted city on the coast, and Huntington Beach won first prize.

The best-decorated home was a tie between a Newport Beach home and the home of A.H. Dixon, 647 Frankfort in Huntington Beach.

Leo Farwell’s home at 106 Alabama won first prize for the best-lighted residence and Owen Mosier’s home at 946 11th St. was awarded the best Yule decoration with his snowman on the roof.

This would be the last jubilant Christmas that our residents would see for some time.

The next Christmas, the nation was at war, and the threat of an enemy attack on our oil field was a real concern. But as we have seen, our townsfolk have never faltered in keeping the spirit of Christmas alive, even through the darkest of times.