Eighteen days before Christmas in 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Three days before the bombing, The Press had warned residents, “This year, more than ever, it is important to shop early. If you don’t, war conditions are apt to cause plenty of disappointments. According to reports, if the rush this year does not eclipse the record of 1929 by a considerable margin, it should be the heaviest since that year.”
After the United States entered the war against Germany, Japan and Italy on Dec. 7, 1941, a number of things changed during that holiday season. War censorship was imposed and the president designated by proclamation all nationals of Germany, Italy and Japan as “enemy aliens” and authorized the Justice Department to take into custody those considered dangerous.
Ridgefield, with its significant number of Italians who had not yet applied for naturalization, was not without some anxiety. The Italian American Mutual Aid Society immediately passed a resolution expressing its whole-hearted support for the U.S. war effort and bought $1,000 in war bonds. The resolution was signed by the club’s officers, Julius Tulipani, Aldo Tulipani, O.J. Carboni, Leo J. Pambianchi, and Aldo Casagrande, all American citizens.
The Marquette Council of the Knights of Columbus of Ridgefield also voted to buy a $1,000 war bond and attorney Michael E. Bruno accepted the chairmanship of the Ridgefield War Relief Fund, which was asked by the national organization to raise $5,250.
The Ridgefield Garden Club, felt that because of the war there would be little spirit to enter a competition for the best decorated doorway.
The executive committee of the Ridgefield branch of the Bundles for Britain announced that it would discontinue its activities. All members were to instead associate themselves with the Ridgefield branch of the Red Cross.
The Ridgefield China Relief Fund announced that it had received a total of $5,058 in donations to provide clothing, medical supplies and other necessities for the Chinese.
Despite the war Ridgefield Christmas lights did go on and there was carol-singing by the school children and the students of Gray Court College of Ridgefield, located at the former Lewis estate on West Lane (now Manor Road and Lewis Drive).
Before an audience of 500, Girl Scouts of Ridgefield presented the most elaborate program in their career at the school auditorium on East Ridge. A musical fantasy, the singing of the Star Spangled Banner with Miss Geraldine Farrar leading and the presentation of the Christmas pageant written by Miss Farrar were the features of the program. More than 100 girls participated.
The U.S. Army instructed the Ridgefield air spotters corps to maintain a 24-hour watch over the holidays with even more vigilance than normally accorded.
The new Ridgefield Playhouse on Prospect Street behind the library featured “A Yank in the R.A.F.” with Betty Grable and Tyrone Power.
Twelve Siberian huskies from Waldeck Kennels on Danbury Road were donated to the United States government for defense duty. The dogs were already under training in New Hampshire and were expected to take on duty in Alaska and Iceland.