What do you want for Christmas?

I found this poll in a December 1946 Companion Magazine.

(click on the picture for a bigger picture)

The Companion Poll asked What three wishes would you want for the world, your family, yourself. I'll highlight below some of the article.

The response was nearly unanimous:

For the World: "Everywhere peace, with decent food, clothing, shelter, and education."

I guess after World War 2 all these things would be first in every one's mind!

For their family: "Health and happiness in the things we have ;ambition without dissatisfaction."

I don't think you would hear that last part nowadays.

And for themselves: "Health, grace, humor and tact."

Tact? I don't think that word is used much anymore! Too bad! Some grace and humor might be achieved if it was.

Then they asked for the readers to pick material things just for fun. Here are some of the responses:

"A car as long as from here to the corner."

"A station wagon for fishing, camping, hauling, and riding around."

"A place of our own."

"A perfect new house, but if that is too much, dear Santa, please bring a new furnace for this one."

A furnace? I've never heard someone ask Santa for that before! Have you?

Here's a cute one:

"......a new country house, nicely furnished, with space for a landing field and many pets."

A landing field? For an airplane do you think?

Some asked for smaller things:

a photographic enlarger, a canoe, a three quarter ton truck, a power boat large enough to sleep five, electric blankets, and electric train.

And some are not politically correct NOW!:

"A mink coat."

"A Persian coat."

"A three piece red suit trimmed with Persian lamb and matching hat."

Lucy Ricardo would love that!

And here is a good one:

"An original dress by a very well-known designer, with accessories to match."

Another one Lucy would love!

Some wanted labor saving devices:

washing machine, refrigerators, stoves, mixers, sewing machines, mangles, vacuum pressure cookers, dishwashers, and more.

Mangles? What is that? I didn't know they had dishwashers in 1946 either!

And don't forget the jewelry:

A string of real pearls, a new wrist watch with a few diamonds in the sides, or a diamond bracelet that wide and a star sapphire ring. And one asked for a five-carat diamond.

Some wanted to improve themselves:

a beauty course

And then some just wanted ordinary everyday useful items:

a pair of field glasses, a buttonhole attachment for the sewing machine, a valve for an air brush, the complete novels of Jane Austin.

And I like this one best:

"A trip alone for two or three days to shop, to go to the theater and sleep uninterruptedly"

A mother's dream!

What do you want for Christmas?