Fr. Tom Vasilotti is very careful when handling his presepio. It’s the Italian word for crib, used to refer to a nativity scene that’s scaled out to show the world around the manger where Jesus was born. The manger in the presepio at the rectory of divine mercy parish in Greenpoint, Fr. Tom built by hand.

“It’s kind of a ritual, I put it together with the pins of wood and it’s kind of a fun thing and every year I try to add something to it, it’s a spirituality I have,” he said.

The history of the presepio dates back 800 years to the first one, a live version put on by St. Francis of Assisi. It’s a piece of church and Fr. Tom’s own history. He’s been adding to his for more than a decade, bringing back more pieces from his mother’s home town of Naples with every visit.

“You felt as if Christ was truly present there and I think that’s what the presepio is about it’s a reminder of a deep, personal relationship with Christ and a memorial of his birth and it’s a beautiful thing,” said Fr. Tom.

The scenes built in presepi aren’t necessarily historically accurate but they tell a story of the time and place where christ entered the world, and for Fr. Tom the true story of humankind, and all the faults that come with it.

“I think it’s the incarnation that God becomes man and enters into our time and our history and he brings all sorts of people together, there’s a shepherd asleep and maybe drunk, people are not paying attention we’re asleep often times, but the devotion life make it more personal,” Fr. Tom said.

Unlike a traditional nativity scene with the holy family and a few additional figures, Fr. Tom says a presepio shows that everyone has a story and gifts to bring to their relationship with Christ. His craft is one of his gifts.

“What I take from that part and we bring what gifts we can bring. Bring your gifts, what gifts do you have, what can you offer the child Jesus, what do you give to him,” he said.

And Fr. Tom shared some good news for anyone who wants to extend their Christmas season, he says best practice is to keep your decorations and nativities, or presepi out until the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, that’s on February 2.

NYCHA Resident Transforms Hallway Into Winter Wonderland for Kids

By Jessica Easthope

When the elevator arrives at the seventh floor of the Penn-Wortman Houses in East New York, the doors open up to another world, a winter wonderland, an escape from reality into a place where Christmas magic comes alive. Just like Santa, every year Elizabeth Figueroa delivers for the hundreds who come to see her hallway.

“Every year it was a little more and a little more because I couldn’t afford it and I saw I was getting more pieces and I would expand,” she said.

Elizabeth has been decorating her hallway for 41 years. A tradition that started with her mom and a few trimmings has turned into every inch of her hallway covered.

“I started doing it out of grieving for her, this came out of grief, because she liked to do it and I knew she’d like if I did it, she started with the doors and the sides and it took off from there I started doing more,” she said.

Elizabeth has made a living as a private tutor for children, she says they’re what drive her displays. Over the years, she’s poured more than $80,000 into the hallway. And it’s not Santa’s elves who put this all up, Elizabeth and her husband, Willie work all night to make it happen.
She takes on the walls and the doors and Willie takes the ceiling, an enchanted forest of white branches that he picks, colors and strings himself with fishing line to give the illusion they’re floating.

“You could come out of the elevator with a problem and the minute they get off the elevator, after a couple of seconds in here they forget about their angry and their problems, it neutralizes them,” Willie said.

But as much as they’ve put in, they say they get back even more. Elizabeth had her first giveaway this year, she handed out 200 toys to kids in her building.

“We want to make sure we bring joy to the kids and stability and relief for the mothers,” she said.

But Elizabeth says all the tinsel, lights and sparkle can’t distract from the true meaning of Christmas.

As much work as it took to put all of the decorations up, Elizabeth will soon take it all down, she said her Christmas decor will be packed away a few days after New Year’s, that’s when she starts to plan her display for Valentine’s Day.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Visit White House, Address Congress

The White House has confirmed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with President Joe Biden and then address a joint session of Congress today.