Osvaldo Riccio began the work when Christmas was still months away. Hour after hour, day after day, he carefully built, painted and arranged the models and figurines. He would work from morning into the afternoon, until the day when he decided, finally, that it was done. Osvaldo built a presepe, a nativity scene. He built it for Pupa, his wife.

Osvaldo met Pupa 60 years ago in their hometown, Siderno, a seaside town in southern Italy. Osvaldo quickly fell head over heels in love, not realizing that Pupa was soon to leave for the United States. He was heartsick when she left. But she came back to marry Osvaldo.