15 wintertime habits from the ’40s that would never fly today

Written by Matt Staff on
A person rides a motorcycle through a snowy field while four children, bundled in coats, hold a rope tied to the back and are pulled along behind. It appears to be a winter scene from the past.

Wintertime in the 1940s wasn’t just a colder time. It was a time that came with a whole set of habits that’d make pretty much anyone used to modern-day comforts freeze in their tracks. From how families would navigate their homes to the ways in which kids passed the time outdoors, cold-weather life back then was just played out differently.

These routines also weren’t quirky exceptions either. They were everyday norms that were molded by wartime shortages, limited technology, and a whole bunch of grit. Looking back now at these 15 wintertime habits from the 1940s, you can really gain a deep appreciation for the fact that they definitely wouldn’t have flown today.

1. Sleeping in unheated rooms intentionally

A black-and-white photo of a snowy town street at night, with large snowbanks along the sidewalk, vintage cars parked, and streetlights illuminating the quiet, wintry scene.
Via Anonymous91892

That nice purr of the nearby heater you might have in your bedroom? Yeah, forget about that if you were hanging out back in the 1940s. Yes, that was an icy, frigid time marked by many a night where you’d have to grit it out and sleep away in unheated rooms intentionally. Fun? Of course not. But hey, I guess it made you tougher.

2. Wearing metal ice grips everywhere

A black-and-white photo shows people walking and standing in a snowy town street, bundled in winter clothing. Snow piles line the road and buildings, with a shop sign reading "KAUPF" visible on the right.
Via Deleted9182

This is one of those wintertime habits from the 1940s that almost sounds a bit more fun to me. Ice grips make your shoes feel like you could pull off all kinds of crazy walking maneuvers, and realistically, you never have to worry about wiping out.

3. Using a newspaper as winter clothing insulation

A snowy city street from the early 20th century, with vintage cars parked along the curb and a person in a long coat walking on a snow-covered sidewalk. Buildings and bare trees line the street under a cloudy sky.
Via Deleted919

Yeah, I’m just thinking about how rare it is for someone to actually have the physical newspaper delivered to their home nowadays. These days, folks are hard-pressed enough to have the necessary attention span to even read an article online.

4. Heating only one room all winter

A man wearing a long, double-breasted winter coat with a fur collar and gloves stands outside in front of a white wooden house. He is also wearing a wide-brimmed hat and looking toward the camera.
Via Anonymous91

And you better believe that that was the room where everyone was trying to secure a seat. I’ve had my days in more recent past winters out in New York City, where, due to trying to cut down on electric bills, we pretty much just heat up the living room while the rest of the rooms in the apartment are ice caves. So it goes.

5. Cooking winter meals entirely on wooden or coal stoves

A vintage black-and-white photo of a decorated Christmas tree in a living room, with a young boy smiling at the tree and a girl in a dress holding a box, surrounded by toys and ornaments.
Anonymous9193 via Reddit.com

You just had to hope that you had someone around who would be able to handle all the cooking on a wooden or coal stove. That can be a cooking method that tests the lesser qualified cooks of the world.

6. Sending children off to school during snowstorms

Four children stand in front of a snow-covered igloo, dressed in winter coats, hats, and mittens. They hold lunchboxes and bags, smiling outdoors on a snowy day.
Via Anonymous193

Kids these days just don’t even know how good they have it. Seriously. Back in the day, not only would the idea of a snow advisory warranting an actual snow day seem blasphemous, but you better believe you were going to be hoofing it to school as well.

7. Leaving milk and groceries outside to keep them cold

A snowy street scene at night in front of old-fashioned storefronts, including a brightly lit drug store with Coca-Cola signs and vintage cars parked along the side.
Via Deleted0919

I’ve done this one during some of the colder winters in NYC to keep the drinks cold. It just feels like nature is cooperating with you to help keep your precious beverages that much more refreshing.

8. Drying clothes indoors near open flames

A woman plays guitar while a man and three children sit around a fireplace in a rustic room. Drawings and photographs are displayed on the mantle above the fire. The scene is warm and intimate, suggesting family togetherness.
eaglemaxie via reddit.com

All you had to make sure of was that you weren’t drying those clothes too close to the flames. I can imagine that there must’ve been plenty of otherwise avoidable fires that were started due to homeowners not being attentive enough toward their clothes that were drying by open flames.

9. Wearing the same winter coat for nearly a decade

An older man wearing a coat, hat, and sunglasses shovels snow from a driveway in front of a house with snow-covered bushes and a garage in the background.
Via Deleted919

Yeah, some of the winter coats that were sported back in the 1940s probably went on to become family heirlooms. No kidding. Winter coats that are actually worth purchasing have pretty much never been cheap. So, if you got your cold hands on one during the wintertime months, you were going to make sure that you didn’t lose hold of that winter coat for years to come.

10. Walking everywhere just because cars wouldn’t start

A snowy city street scene with cars parked and driving, people walking in heavy snow, and a walk signal lit. A person and child cross the street while another person in a hood walks nearby. Snow covers the ground and vehicles.
via Anonymous9192

Sometimes, the car just refuses to start. This rings painfully true on those brutally cold winter days when it can feel like the universe itself is conspiring against you. This was made even more present back during the days of the 1940s.

11. Warming up beds with hot bricks

Five children holding a rope are pulled uphill through snow by a smiling woman riding a motorcycle on a wintry landscape with distant houses and trees in the background.
Via Deleted019

Yeah, this one sounds downright insane, but hey, you don’t know it until you try it. Apparently, back in the 1940s, people would go about warming their beds up by using hot bricks. Hopefully, those bricks were wiped down before they went into action.

12. Using frozen outdoor pumps for water access

A woman in a coat and headscarf stands on a snowy sidewalk in a city lined with vintage cars and neon signs for shoe and jewelry stores; buildings and street are covered in snow.
dareldelvis421 via reddit.com

This is one of the wintertime habits from the 1940s that actually seems to make sense. Granted, I wouldn’t be thrilled either about having to use frozen outdoor pumps for water access. But hey, winter is going to do what it will do.

13. Keeping windows partially open all winter for fresh air

Two women on skis hold ropes attached to a car driving on a snowy street, as the driver looks at them. Snow covers the ground and vintage cars are visible in the background.
Via Deleted919

I personally love the arctic chill of a wintry breeze, and especially coming through my window as long as there are enough blankets around. However, in the 1940s, this was apparently a widely practiced habit as well.

14. Treating frostbite as but a minor inconvenience

Black-and-white photo of Trafalgar Square in winter, showing snow-covered ground, vintage cars, a double-decker bus, lion statues, pedestrians, and the base of Nelson’s Column in the background.
Via Deleted9019

I don’t really know what to say about this wintertime habit from the 1940s. I certainly don’t think that we should be looking upon frostbite as something of a minor inconvenience. I mean, get yourself to the urgent care if you have a case of frostbite. Or whatever version of that was hopefully in operation back in the 1940s.

15. Wearing winter coats as your go-to, everyday attire

Three children bundled in heavy coats and fur hats stand close together on a snowy street, eating something from their hands. Their clothes and faces are dusted with snow, and they appear to be sharing a moment together.
coldtimesarecold via Reddit.com

I mean, nothing at all wrong with sporting the winter coat as your essential winter uniform if it’s working well for you. Your main goal during the frigid, unforgivingly cold winter months is to stay warm. So a winter coat is just what you need. Pretty much all day, every day. 1940s or any other decade, for that matter.