Americans celebrated Christmas more than a century ago during the previous pandemic with some of the same concerns of the modern age, including considering whether they would get together with loved ones and risk fatal infection.
But in 1918, World War I had just ended, and many soldiers went home for the holidays to see relatives. And since the federal government is less prominent than it is today, and the arrival of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1946 removed for decades, states, and more so local municipalities, have introduced several restrictions on the whole country.
The second wave of the so-called Spanish flu peaked in the US in November, but the pandemic was far from over, and a third wave was set to reach US cities the following year. Still, November 11th Armistice Day sparked a celebration – and some people complained that churches were closed while saloons remained open, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where very observant German and Norwegian immigrant populations lived at the time, residents complained that churches were closed during Advent and that churches were allowed to hold services on Christmas Day for a special exception.
In the Ohio State Journal of December 21, 1918, the acting state health commissioner warned people to “beware of the mistletoe” and recommended a “kissless vacation” for flu fighters. He also warned against attending parties or gatherings, given the risk of infecting the family.
“You will best show your love for mom and dad, brother, sister and the rest of them this year by staying at your own home instead of making annual Christmas visits, having family gatherings and parties in general,” said the New York Times. commissioner on time. “It goes against everything we love to do to avoid celebrating the holidays … And we shouldn’t do it anyway. It makes me sad to say it. “
Influenza Encyclopedia, a project edited by historian Howard Markel and produced by the University of Michigan Center for the History of Medicine, collected age-old newspaper clippings that provide insight into what life was like for Americans back then.
On Christmas Eve, the Nebraska Health Council categorized Spanish flu as a “quarantine disease,” according to the December 24, 1918, issue of the Omaha Daily Bee. At least 500 homes were quarantined in Omaha, and none of the people living in homes with even one case of the flu were allowed out “until four days after the fever had gone down.”
“Big blue cards are now being printed to be affixed to the houses instead of the current ‘voluntary’ cards that merely indicate danger,” the paper wrote. “A fine of $ 15 to $ 100 will be imposed for any violation of the quarantine order.
The country’s population was much smaller than it is today – only 103.2 million people lived in the US in 1918, compared to the roughly 328.2 million now. And the Spanish flu would kill an estimated 675,000 people in the US before the pandemic finally subsided in 1919. About 50 million people around the world died, and nearly a third of the world’s population became infected.
“Without a vaccine to protect against influenza infection and without antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections that may be associated with influenza infections, global control efforts have been limited to non-pharmaceutical interventions such as isolation, quarantine, good personal hygiene, use. disinfectants and restrictions on public gatherings, which were applied unevenly, ”the CDC said.
During that time, many American families could be associated with the loss of a child from diphtheria or watching a loved one suffer from polio, so more people were generally willing to follow the instructions of public health departments whose agents sometimes wore badges and had police force. In some circumstances, officials had the power to forcibly quarantine you or put you in an island quarantine station, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
More than 116,000 Americans died during World War I, many of whom died after contracting the flu. But with men returning from the European battlefields and other military bases, there was a general sense of euphoria in the country after a victory for democracy over authoritarianism.
In the December 12, 1918, Boston Globe issue, the Boston Health Department warned against gathering for the holidays after seeing a spike in cases after the Victory Day and Thanksgiving crowds.
Even in San Francisco, which was known for one of the worst outbreaks and the strictest restrictions, people flocked into the streets to celebrate the November 11 truce, which came at the end of a city-wide mask mandate meant to curb transmission . When things started to peak again at Christmas time, city officials wanted to carry out the mandate, but the people resisted.
Businesses suffered significant economic losses and were eager to take the expected Christmas shopping buzz, although the tone and restrictions for such activities varied from place to place.
For example, the December 20, 1918, issue of the Spokesman Review, published in Spokane, Washington, warned that the city office would have an inspector sworn in by the city but paid by the store to ensure that shoppers would not. to do. crowd the aisles. This contrasts with the Salt Lake Tribune of December 21, 1918, which encouraged shoppers to patronize stores after last year’s “great thrift and economy”.
“We can all afford to rent out a few links this season of the year. The Lord has prospered us as a nation, and we don’t have to squeeze and scrape and lock both wallet and heart during the holidays. But let’s not forget that the Red Cross needs money to continue its great work, ”the issue said.
While diary entries show that people still mourned the loss of traditional celebrations, they probably didn’t miss close relatives, as it was more common than extended families to live close to or in the same household – compared to today, when more Americans live far from their hometowns. .