Photo Courtesy of Maplewood Village Alliance Santa Claus pays a yearly visit to the Dickens Village, where he poses for pictures and listens to children as they tell him their Christmas wishes.
One of Maplewood’s yearly and beloved events is the Dickens Village.
Bringing to life various scenes from Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” it’s arranged in Ricalton Square. Inside the houses you will see fireplaces, stockings, and antique toys. Each little house is unique and different.
The tradition began in 1960. It was the idea of Dorothy Rudolph, who lived in town.
“She went to the township committee. Women from the Women’s Club thought it was a good idea,” said Ellen Davenport, emeritus board member for the Maplewood Village Alliance and lead chair for Dickens Village for many years.
On Dec. 2, 1961, Dickens Village opened, and they had a ball that evening.
“A British counselor from New York City came to represent England,” said Davenport.
That was the very beginning. And in 1961 they created a Dickens Village Foundation. “The first president, Robert Grasmere went on to become mayor,” said Davenport.
The Maplewood Chamber of Commerce took over running Dickens Village in the 1980s. And The Maplewood Alliance took over in the mid-1990s and are still in charge today.
Davenport started out with Dickens Village as a decorator and then took over as chair when former chair Mary Sue Durken moved away in 2009.
The little houses were created for Dickens Village. Most of the original houses were made by local carpenters and are maintained each year. Tom Navius is the carpenter and caretaker. “Tom is a capable, talented person,” said Davenport. “He’s really good at what he does.”
Each week Dickens Village has different people playing Santa Claus—Don Davenport, who is Ellen’s husband; Robert Wise; and Paul DesJardins.
“We used to have reindeer,” said Davenport. “They were really wonderful. There aren’t many reindeer available, and you can’t bring them over state lines.”
Instead of reindeer, Dickens Village now has a petting zoo.
The 1998 movie “One True Thing” starring Meryl Streep, Renee Zellweger, and William Hurt, used two houses from Dickens Village.
Davenport’s favorite part of Dickens Village is that the kids really like it.
“I’m a retired schoolteacher and I love seeing kids have a good time,” Davenport said. “We have a petting zoo, horse and carriage rides, and Santa. It’s all positive. It’s good for small businesses. We have the Girl Scouts wearing period clothing. It’s strictly volunteer. We have decorators for each house. We supply most of the decorations, all in theme with ‘A Christmas Carol.’”
The decorators, who also wash windows, take the decorations down in January.
“That’s the routine,” said Davenport. “The houses go back to the Department of Public Works (DPW). They are stored and we can access them in early fall and spruce them up and paint them.”
Davenport is especially thankful to the DPW.
“They decorate the tree and electrify the whole set up,” she said.
She’s also grateful for the Fire Department, who pick up Santa, and the Police Department, who are in charge of traffic and people wandering in the street.
“The town is very supportive and always makes sure we have everything we need,” said Davenport.
ErinRose Baldry, executive director of Maplewood Village Alliance, is equally thankful for Davenport.
“Without Ellen, Dickens would not have continued for as long as it has, and now it’s an anchor event each year that the entire community, and surrounding communities, look forward to annually,” Baldry said.
To learn more about Dickens Village, visit: https://maplewoodvillagenj. com/dickens-village.
Dickens Village Schedule of Events
• Dec. 7, 1 to 4 p.m. Opening day. Tree lighting and Santa arrives;
• At 1 p.m., Santa arrives, escorted by the Maplewood Fire Department;
• 1 to 4 p.m., Visit with Santa and Dickens Village houses are open for viewing;
• 4:30 p.m., Tree Lighting.
• Dec. 14 1 to 4 p.m. Horse and wagon rides & Petting farm
• 9:30 a.m. Breakfast with Santa at St. James’s Gate, available for purchase at St. James’s Gate;
• 1 to 4 p.m. Visit with Santa; Dickens Village houses are open for viewing; horse and wagon rides; Kakfa Farm’s petting farm;
• 1:30 p.m.; Brass quintet plays;
• 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Swing Town’s annual free holiday concert in the Burgdorff Center for Performing Arts; and
• 2:30 p.m.; Holiday reading by children’s librarian Jane Fogler, The Maplewood Children’s Library.
• Dec. 21 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; horse and wagon rides;
• 1 to 4 p.m.; Visit with Santa; Dickens Village houses are open for viewing; horse and wagon rides; and
• Dec. 26, 6:15 p.m.; Menorah Lighting.
Rabbi Sholom Bogomilsky from the Maplewood Jewish Center lights the menorah in Ricalton Square.
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