It Takes a Village to Hold These Christmas Memories

Milt Hildebrandt and his wife, Daraliene, built something special each holiday season in addition to their family and faith.

Over the course of almost four decades, the Hildebrandt's Christmas village collection grew and became more elaborate, eventually taking over two rooms of their home by .

Each year, Milt, now 85, carefully builds the sturdy scaffolds and wiring, sometimes right over furniture pieces, to display the North Pole and the rolling New England holiday landscapes.

Daraliene provided attention to detail, placing the expressive figurines, flocked trees and landscaping accents just-so up until her death seven years ago.

Milt has carried on the tradition himself every few years since, but thinks this might be the last time—though, he acknowledges, he's said that before.