LAWRENCE — Some people have Christmas trees. Some set up nativity scenes.
But Dora Deleon takes a room in her house and builds a three-level, floor-to-ceiling spectacular of miniature holiday villages and scenes, including everything right down to the singing Christmas Elvis figurine. And crowning it all is a nativity set which.....
"This represents the spirit of Christmas. Even though our people have nothing, we always have faith and it's a tradition we maintain by having a nativity set," Deleon said.
She recalls being awed by a similar display by her grandparents in Guatemala, and brought that tradition with her when she moved to Lawrence in 1975.
The lower tier is a showcase of Christmas in the United States. It features an ice skating rink where a snowman glides along as his parents wave. In the town square, a group of children gather around a snowman as Santa Claus watches standing on a park bench. There are apartment buildings, stores and single family homes with Christmas trees, white lights and wreaths with velvety red bows completing the scene, as well as two crystal churches accented with gold.
And there is Elvis Presley in his famous white jumpsuit and red scarf, singing a Christmas song.
The second level brings her Guatemalan heritage alive. This is highlighted by small figurines in bright red, yellow, green and blue of men and women selling fruits and vegetables at the marketplace, a farmer taking care of her animals, buses strategically placed on the road and huts with thatched roofs. In addition to Guatemala there are items from Ecuador, Mexico, Colombia and even Africa.
And just a few inches above that are the figures of the Bible story with Mary and Joseph by the manger, surrounded by cows, sheep and a donkey. There's an empty space where baby Jesus will go on Christmas day.
Above the manger is a blue tapestry dotted with stars and a star hanging just over the manger, as told in the story. A few yards away are statues of Melchior, Gaspar and Baltazar dressed in burgundy, gold and blue holding their gifts of incense, gold and myrrh.
"I get the most satisfaction by having the nativity scene," Deleon said. "I love my baby Jesus because he has given us a lot of peace and helped us survive many crises."
The showcase has between 500 to 600 pieces, most of them miniatures, except for the Holy family and the Wise Men.
Deleon said most of the items are gifts from friends and her husband.
"The gifts have been a blessing because it shows how much people love you and it fills you spiritually because of your faith," Deleon said.
It takes Deleon a week to set the display, which she disassembles after the Epiphany on Jan. 6.
"I love it so much, I wish I could keep it out forever," she said.
