Lehnertz Avenue families, visitors revel in sentiment of display

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Emma Hess, 6, of Aurora sing hymns after the blessing of a Nativity scene blessing Sunday along Lehnertz Avenue in Aurora. Mary Beth Nolan~For Sun-Times Media

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Updated: January 13, 2012 8:05AM

For the seasonal visitors, the Lehnertz Avenue Christmas display is like a pilgrimage to another time and place.

“I feel the harmony — both in the spirit of Christmas and the neighborhood,” 22-year old Isaac Ayala said from the backseat of the Aurora family’s car.

“The neighbors on the block talk to each other. Christmas is about unity and dropping our differences. In World War I there was a Christmas Truce to stop fighting and celebrate,” Ayala said.

“I like the story of how neighbors on the block put this together each year — it has a real Christmas feel,” said his sister, Senday, 18.

On Sunday, the Lehnertz Avenue Christmas nativity on the city’s northeast side celebrated 60 years of spreading the story of Christ’s birth.

A large crowd gathered for the blessing of the life-size nativity, with some of the original sheep and artistic mural of a scene in Bethlehem and bright star in the east end of Garfield Park west of Ohio Street.

Mayor Tom Weisner came to recognize the tradition started by residents shortly after World War II when soldiers returned home to their families and built the first homes on Lehnertz Avenue. “They were tired of war and all they wanted to do was live in peace and raise families,” Weisner said.

“It is a beautiful sight — a beautiful credit to Aurora,” the mayor said.

At the close of the blessing, the rays of a bright moon seemed to rise above the manger, featuring Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. The opening carol of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and the fresh Christmas trees adorning the crèche added warmth to the night, visitors said.

“It is so beautiful — the angels and Jesus are there,” said Nathaniel Heinz, 8. The youngster came with his older brother, Christopher, 11 and mother, Michelle Brengman of Aurora.

The display features open pages of the Bible with red candles on the south side of the street, while on the north side of the street are shepherds and sheep that illuminate the front yards of every home from Sheridan Street to Ohio Street.

A banner proclaiming “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” stretches across the street and audio on light poles set the scene with two hours of continuous Christmas music.

The Lehnertz Avenue residents have left the plastic Santa Claus and reindeer to the malls. The original families — 14 on the block in 1951 — wanted to “put Christ back into Christmas.”

The slow-moving traffic started at dusk on Saturday. Carloads of families said they appreciate having the nativity to help explain the story of Jesus to their children.

Rebecca and Michael Luginbill stopped the car to read the verses from the Bible to their two young children, Kalei, 5 and Tyler, 4. “I love being able to tell our children the Christmas story from a three-dimensional display that is so big and alive,” the mother said. “I brought my husband when we started dating,” she said.

Sam Hankes, 30, of Batavia, wanted to share the memories of visiting Lehnertz Avenue with his girlfriend Lindsey Porter. “My dad brought me here and his dad brought him here,” Hankes said.

“I kept asking that I wanted to see Christmas lights — he’s being romantic. It’s amazing to see so many neighbors participate,” Porter said.

Mark and Candy Bradford of Aurora have been making the trip to Lehnertz Avenue since they were engaged to marry 18 years ago and now share it with their five children: John Ross, 14; Jacob, 11; Eli, 9; Chase, 7 and Caitlyn, 15-months.

“The children take turns reading the verses. It’s great to see the lasting spirit of Christmas for 60 years,” Mark Bradford said. “With all of the downside with what has been happening in the economy, it’s great to have the hope and celebratory atmosphere that comes with this every year,” the father said.

Jon Woods, president of the Lehnertz Avenue Homeowners Improvement Association, said this year’s display has a newly built 12-foot by 12-foot NOEL sign that can be easily re-assembled each year. The audio, which originally started with an album, has advanced from reel-to-reel tape, cassette tape and CD to high-tech with an iPod plugged into an amplifier. The sound is clearer and there is a greater music selection.

Woods said that sadly in recent years there have been four foreclosures and in one case the permanent display was missing from the home, but they managed the loss.

“It means just as much to us to bring this to you,” Woods told those gathered Sunday.

Auroran John Powell brought his family from Westchester for a drive on Lehnertz Avenue. “People tend to think of Santa when Christmas is about Jesus’ birthday, giving and family,” Powell said. His uncle Robert Dubson is the family’s “award-winning” Christmas decorator. “I get ideas driving around, but I have never seen anything like this,” Dubson said.