Lovingly handpainted many, many years ago, this life-sized, vintage nativity scene which appears without fail every December on the front lawn of the Bihn Family's gracious D Street Victorian home is a mainstay of Petaluma's annual holiday season. And if you are quick, you might just spot it once or twice more before it's packed away for the coming year.
Except for one astonishing December when several key figures were snatched from the lawn by a Christmas Scrooge (though thankfully recovered after being dumped in town), the D Street Nativity hasn't missed a full-month festive appearance in decades.
Talking about Twelfth Night traditions earlier this week, several friends here in town told how they hold tight to the tradition of keeping Christmas until Epiphany has passed.
Here's what prompted one of Mr. Bihn's daughters to send me this photo of her family's much-loved legacy to those who regularly traverse D Street during the holidays:
"I will always remember that my mom made it a point to remind us of the '12th day of Christmas'," says Teela (now Ridgeway). "She would have a little gift for each of us and the Nativity Scene on the front lawn at my Dads place was always displayed until at least the Epiphany and beyond! One year it stayed up until the end of January!"
"I was looking at that display just yesterday and thinking I would take it down today, memories of my Mom and Dad and those Christmases of past just flooded my soul....I'm not ready to take it down yet, maybe this weekend!"
Each of the characters in that display on Teela's Dad's front lawn were paintstakingly re-hand painted by one of her several sisters....the set was originally a wedding gift from the late Mrs Bihn's sister and brother-in-law (Dr and Mrs Angelo Leoni).
"Mom and Dad got married on Dec 27, 1952. After many years of wear and tear, the display began to show it's age," says Teela. "About 10 or 15 years ago, my little sister, Jozi, began to reproduce each character one by one and return them to Dad each December. If you have a chance, you should stop by and take a closer look at them. I wish I had a tiny bit of her artistic talent! Anyway," says Teela. "I thought it a good story to share with you since you, too, appreciate the celebration of the Epiphany!"
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