A bit of nostalgia, and a great, ready to ship, holiday gift idea.

Put the finishing touches on your Christmas shopping, and purchase your Keep Calm and Carry On Plaque from Atlas Signs and Plaques on Etsy. These hanging plaques look as though they were formed from the remains of a downed Messerschmitt, but they are made of space age material, and coated with real aluminum. Wonderful wall art, they are ready to hang and take the edge off the most frantic day.

“Keep Calm and Carry On” is a phrase dating from World War II. The story is that this slogan originated on a poster that was issued by the British Ministry of Information as a reminder to keep the famous British “stiff upper lip” as England prepared for the inevitable German invasion. The full scale invasion never came, but the blitz did. Bombs blanketed England forcing the population to run for cover and endure incredible hardships as the reign of terror continued for years.

Despite the poster’s somber wartime beginnings, this bit of calming wisdom endures in a complex world. Atlas brings this famous inspirational poster to life as a plaque that says far more than its five simple words would imply. Massively appropriate for today’s busy life and chaotic economy. Take a hint from the Brits of WWII England, and “Keep Calm and Carry On” when things seem to be getting worse. Whether it is the economy, your kids, job, or trying to do too much with too little time, just hang this in the kitchen, or office to put things in perspective as you contemplate that all previous generations have had troubled times. They survived to prosper, and so will you.

The poster was printed by the millions, and was a reminder that the human spirit endures despite setbacks. As Winston Churchill said “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference”. In other words, Keep smiling in the face of adversity.