A Christmas Tradition

Christmas village collection brings smiles to students at Newton school

NEWTON  Every family has its special Christmas tradition. Some families drive miles to pick out a Christmas tree and cut it down themselves. Other families let the youngest child open his or her presents first.

For Salesian Sister Liz Ryan, assistant director at Auxilium School here, her family tradition is one she continues today with the students at the school she serves — exhibiting an enchanting Christmas village with a train zipping through a display of country homes and stores.

“My dad was my inspiration,” said Sister Liz. “We had a village and train under our Christmas tree and seeing this village was such a happy memory for me because it makes me think about my family.”

The Christmas village also known as the Ryan Village, in honor of her family, began 25 years ago at one of the first schools Sister Liz served. “I had a few pieces here and there and created my first village,” said Sister Liz.

With a November birthday, Sister Liz would receive many different pieces for the village — from buildings to characters from various Christmas village sets — as gifts and at every school in several different states she has served, she brought along her collection.

“It came to the point that I had more Christmas village items than actual luggage,” laughed Sister Liz, who previously served as principal at the former St. Mary School in Paterson, where the display was also exhibited.

The village features a Main Street scene with stores in one area, homes in another and even religious figurines such as a monk, a church, a pope and the centerpiece of it all — a manger scene with the Holy Family. Each and every time someone looks at it again, a spectator notices something different, said Sister Liz.

At Auxilium School, it has brought much wonder and awe to the children bringing a sense of peace and family to all. Of course, the favorite part of the village for the children is the train that travels through it.

Sister Liz said, “It takes you out of the craziness of the present day Christmas and brings you back to its true meaning. The children are amazed by it.”

The village will be on display until the end of January.