A “Real” Christmas Story, by Ernie Maw
If you’ve ever seen the 1983 movie A Christmas Story, you know it’s about an early 1940’s family, childhood dreams, family dynamics, and the magic of the holiday season.
However, in 1944 the United States and its Allies were in the thrusts of World War II. It was a time of fear, sacrifices, and losses. The war had taken so many young people from the Mendhams. By the fall of ‘44 90 residents from Mendham Township alone enlisted in the war (8+% of the total population). Tragically, at least three of these courageous soldiers had already made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The D-Day invasion of Normandy was in the past by then, but the Battle of the Bulge was still on the horizon. The direction of the war had shifted in favor of the Allies, but this was of little comfort to those who had family members or a best friend still overseas, putting their lives at risk daily.
Small communities like Brookside, Ralston, and Mendham Borough, where everyone seemed to know everyone else, suffered greatly. Additionally, the community had been further devastated when the Brookside Community Church was destroyed by fire in December of 1942. War related restrictions on building resources would not allow a new church to be erected until 1946. But through their faith and determination, people buckled down and pushed forward.
Times were tough, but still not as tough as for those engaged in the war, and the community wanted to do more to help those far away from the tranquil life in the Mendhams. As winter set in, they wanted to bring a little bit of home to those overseas.
The Brookside Community Church sponsored the creation of local Christmas Booklets to be sent to the troops, and the Alderson family volunteered to facilitate this effort. William and Helen Alderson lived at 1 West Main Street, Brookside, with their children Bill Jr. (Navy deployed), Ted, Jim, and Ruth Ann. The booklets included local photographs, drawings, poems, and expressions of hope. They were all laid out on the Alderson’s ping-pong table, and they invited any member of the community to stop by and inscribe a short note before the booklets were sent overseas.
Poem and Photo Brookside Store/Post Office
We are unsure of just how many of these 22 page booklets were produced, but as you can see from the page pictured above, it was a significant manual effort to get them created at a time that pre-dated basic copying and printing.
I personally was moved to see my grandfather’s, grandmother’s, and aunt’s notes in the booklet, expressing their best wishes. They did this literally a few months after tragically losing their own beloved son/brother Jim to the war.
Cover Drawing
It is also interesting to see a rendering of the new Brookside Community Church on its cover, as this was several years before its cornerstone would be laid. I think the message here is that regardless of fire and war, people and communities will come together and rebuild. The times were trying, but hope was eternal. And that is the true Christmas Story.
Ruth Ann (Alderson) Meyer
with Original 1944 Christmas Booklet
Generously donated to the Mendham Township Archives
