Photo by Amy Cherry Rich and Maria Aiello of St. Marys place figurines on their Nativity scene, a massive display situated inside the family’s living room.

By Amy Cherry

Staff Writer

Over the past 30 years, Francis “Rich” Aiello and his wife Maria of St. Marys, have loyally displayed an Italian style Nativity scene inside their living room.

Situated on an 8-foot plywood platform standing 3 1/2 feet high, the scene consists of approximately 20 buildings, 85 figurines and 50 animals.

Together the couple constructed a wooden fence surrounding the scene as well as a rock wall which elevates a section of the village, consisting of a grape vineyard and olive grove.

Each year the couple adds pieces to their growing display, which takes up an entire wall in their living room. The scene depicts the Nativity as well as a small town, representative of Bethlehem.

For two days the Aiello’s work on assembling the scene. After Thanksgiving the two venture into the woods to gather ground moss and pine cones as a base for the display.

The pieces of the display are manufactured by Fontanini Heirloom Nativity, an Italian company. The figures are originally sculpted in wood, made into a heavy polymer plastic and then hand-painted.

Some of the first pieces of the display were purchased at the former Thoughtfulness Shoppe, when it was located in the St. Marys Plaza on the Million Dollar Highway.

After seeing the Fontanini Nativity scene in the window the couple purchased enough figurines to start their own. They returned each year to purchase pieces at the store until its closing. Since then the Aiello’s have been venturing to Gale’s, a Christmas store in Warren, to purchase display pieces. They also purchased display items from the former Christmas Store in Smethport.

Rich’s favorite part of the display is the elevated section consisting of a vineyard, olive grove featuring a variety of trees, fruit stand and watch tower. He particularly enjoys all of the angels featured in the display, numbering well over 14, especially the angel announcing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds.

Maria is a fan of all the various buildings, ranging from the colorful king’s tent, a bakery, a yarn vendor, carpenter’s shack and many more.

Among the other features of the display are stone archways leading into the city complete with a Roman soldier reading a public decree, a small farm scene, a pond featuring several ducks and geese, an Inn, a barn and small animal corral, a small bridge, two female vendors selling perfume and flowers and much more.

Several figurines are situated along with walkway in the front of the display. Rich noted they move the figurines closer to the Nativity scene as Christmas grows near.

As with any Nativity scene the Aiello’s only place baby Jesus in the manger on Christmas Eve.

The Nativity scene is located in the upper left corner of the display. Leading up to the manger are wide steps constructed of hay. Various animals are shown observing the manger.

Rich explained that in the Italian culture the main focus of their Christmas decorations is a “presepe” or the Nativity scene, even more so than a Christmas tree.

As the parents of four boys, Riccardo, 38, Antonio, 37, Fabrizio, 35 and Felice, 34, the Aiello’s are hoping to one day pass the display onto one of their children.