Christmas display reminds onlookers of 'the reason for the season'

CHURCH HILL — Behind the Church Hill Medical Mission, across from the town's senior center, there is a Christmas display. In some ways, it's similar to other displays that adorn lawns and houses every December. It has string lights in red, green and blue. There's a fluorescent Christmas tree with presents underneath. But while other displays may feature store-bought pieces, almost everything here was handmade by Jeff Hartwell. Hartwell said he's always enjoyed woodworking and being creative. And, as a self-described "pack rat," he keeps materials that can be repurposed. When he had to replace a hot tub's plastic foam cover, Hartwell said he figured, "Hey, why not make something out of it?" He attached the cover — the half of it that wasn't waterlogged — to wooden posts and sculpted an angel's figure into it. Set against a night sky, spray-painted beams of light emanate from the angel. "A savior was given for you," the angel declares as shepherds kneel, silhouetted in black paper. "If I get an idea," Hartwell said, "it's very fulfilling to actually see it come to fruition." Notably, there is no Santa Claus in Hartwell's display. "The whole idea is to point people's attention to the meaning of Christmas: the birth of our savior and king, Jesus," Hartwell said. The display tells different parts of that story. There is, of course, a nativity scene. It's the oldest piece in the display; Hartwell built the stable over 30 years ago. The "God with us" light-up sign refers to the meaning of the name from the carol "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." Hartwell said he's probably spent the most time on it, since he has to replace the whole strand of lights if one bulb goes out. Each bulb must be unscrewed and plugged back in from behind. It's tedious, Hartwell said — especially when manufacturers don't make the same sized sockets they used to. Next to that, a sign reads "Joy to the world! Our king is born." Hartwell made it out of an old tabletop, carving the letters into it. When an old neighbor gave Hartwell light-up presents, he made a tree to go along with them. The disc it stands on used to house a spool of wire. But, to keep the focus on Jesus, he made a "Jesus is the best gift" sign — from an old window blind — to match. X-ray view boxes, from Hartwell's career as a chiropractor, now illuminate the message, "Jesus is the reason for the season." Hartwell cut the letters out of black plastic sheets. Hartwell made most of the pieces when he and his wife lived in Oregon. When they moved to Church Hill, he transported them across the country in a utility trailer. "[The signs are] near and dear to my heart," he said. "I didn't want to just leave them behind. I wanted to share the love over here too."