The Yuletide of 75 years ago, 1944, was a mixture of dread, joy, and anticipation.

There was joy and anticipation because the Allies in both the European and Pacific Theaters were making great gains against the Nazis and the Japanese, and there seemed to be real hope that the war might soon be winding down to a conclusion. But then on December 16, the Nazis launched a major counteroffensive across an 80-mile front that involved more than 250,000 men in Belgium and Luxemburg in the Ardennes Forest area that threatened the Belgian port of Antwerp where Allied forces were receiving much of their supplies.

This offensive and the battle arising from it became known as the Battle of Bulge, because of the bulge in American lines the offensive created.

This offensive was the largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the United States in World War II and the third deadliest campaign in American history.

The Battle of the Bulge was treated very seriously. At home, an ad in the Gazette and Bulletin from the Lycoming County Salvaged Committee stated on December 21, 1944, “THAT THE GERMAN COUNTEROFFENSIVE MEANT THAT EVERY BIT OF PAPER, EVERY TIN CAN, AND EVERY DROP OF HOUSEHOLD FAT NEEDED TO BE SALVAGED AS NEVER BEFORE.”

In other war news, the Red Army was closing in on Budapest, Hungary, and that it would soon be “liberated” from the Nazis. Other Russian troops were in Czechoslovakia along a 59-mile front.

In the Pacific, Allied forces led by General Douglas MacArthur were advancing on Mindoro and Leyte Islands in the campaign to free the Philippines from the Japanese.

Back in this country, Franklin Roosevelt was looking forward to his fourth term as President, which he was elected to in November, he would only live for four more months.

Big Band fans were still reeling over the news that bandleader, Glenn Miller’s plane had been lost over the English Channel on December 15.

In Pennsylvania, Edward Martin was Governor of Pennsylvania.

In sports, Ohio State Quarterback, Les Horvath won the Heisman Trophy. The NFL Championship was won by the Green Bay Packers 14-7 over the New York Giants, as Ted Fritsch scored both touchdowns for the Packers.

In local sports, in the last high school basketball games before the holiday, South Williamsport defeated Northumberland, 41-37, St. Joe’s lost to Lewisburg, 37-32, Jersey Shore defeated St. Mary’s 35-33 in overtime, and the Williamsport Millionaires lost to Hazle Township 43-38.

Williamsporter and Eastern League President Tommy Richardson acted as master of ceremonies at a testimonial dinner in Wilkes-Barre for one-armed St. Louis Browns outfielder, Pete Gray, who hailed from nearby Nanticoke.

Locally, Leo Williamson was completing his fifth year as Mayor of Williamsport.

$6,000 was pledged to the First Baptist Church’s Repair Fund in time for the church’s 90 anniversary.

A paper drive-by Muncy Boy Scouts yielded five tons of scrap paper. 20 Scouts assisted by several adults made the drive.

Other Scouts collected fifteen more tons of paper throughout the area.

Holiday postal business in the Williamsport area amounted to $54 million, $6 million more than in 1943.

It was announced that war plants in the city would close on Christmas Day.

A shortage of Christmas trees was reported in this area. The shortage amounted to about 5,000 trees.

In local stores and markets, Bulova watches sold for $42.50 and Longines for $57, were available at Regal and Blum Jewelers.

Neyhart’s had dartboards for $2.95, a wood-burning set for 95 cents. A Lazy Baby Doll $2.39 and a doll carriage for $6.95.

Acme Markets had sausage for 37 cents a pound, scrapple for 15 cents a pound, 3 pounds of apples for 29 cents, bread for 9 cents a loaf, a 25-pound bag of Gold Seal Flour for $1.08, granulated sugar was 31 cents a pound for five pounds,

The D.S. Andrus Company was selling popular record albums by Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Bunny Berigan, Duke Ellington, and Fats Waller.

In local movie houses, the Keystone Theater was featuring “Babes on Swing Street, with Ann Blyth, Peggy Ryan, Leon Errol, and Andy Devine. The Karlton had Disney’s “Snow White,” The Rialto had “Three Is A Family,” and the Capitol had “Cassanova Brown” with Gary Cooper and Teresa Wright.

More than 1,700 youngsters attended a Christmas Party at the Karlton Theater on Christmas Eve. The C.I.O sponsored the party. The film “Lost Angel” was shown, and prizes donated by area merchants were given out to lucky youngsters.

Williamsport had a white Christmas but a wet one. It came on the heels of the season’s worst cold wave. The temperatures moderated, creating a downpour of rain that cast a pall over the city. This caused what snow there was on the ground to turn into slush.