Symbolizing cultural diversity among the early residents of Nauvoo, Christmas decorations of the city's streets and on several of its historic buildings have an international flavor this season.

"Though members in Nauvoo were bound together as one in their love and dedication to the gospel, they were, in fact a diverse group of people coming from a variety of backgrounds," according to Elder William D. Price and Sister Sid Price, Church public affairs missionaries working with Nauvoo Restoration Inc."Many had come from lands across the sea, bringing with them the Christmas customs of their native countries," the Prices said in a written description of the decorations. "Even the traditions of those Saints who were born and reared in America had come down to them from their Old World homes."

This year, six historic sites are decorated, each with the theme of a country from which Saints migrated as they were converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Decorating was done almost entirely with materials that would have been available to the residents in the 1840s.

"There is an English as well as a Victorian home, since so many of the early Saints came from England," the Prices noted. "It is said that at one time every other person you met on the streets of Nauvoo had an English accent."

The English themes are in the John Taylor home and the Seventies Hall, decorated Victorian style. Other themes are Scottish for the Stoddard Tin Shop, Scandinavian for the Lyon Drug Store, German for the Wilford Woodruff home, Pennsylvania Dutch for the Brigham Young home and American prairie for the Pendleton School.

The visitors center is decorated, complete with an 18-foot Christmas tree covered with 10,000 sparkling white lights. At the west end of the visitors center, a two-thirds-life-size creche is featured, a replica of the Fontenelli Nativity, a marble sculpture housed at the Vatican.

Illuminated snowflakes lead the spectator from a lighted Nativity scene on Durphy Street to the visitors center and to each decorated site.

A fir tree outdoors provides food for birds and small animals. Red flannel bows are intended to attract the attention of the wildlife to the tree, which holds pine cones covered with peanut butter rolled in birdseed. Nuts, acorns and berries hang from the branches, as well as punched tin ornaments, popcorn garlands and gum ball decorations made by school children.

Beginning with a lighting ceremony Dec. 2, a series of Christmas concerts and entertainment have been presented at the visitors center. They have included high school and university choirs, the missionaries and other groups.

Christmas decorating at the historic sites was largely due to the efforts of Sister Shirley Stoddard and Sister Beverly Nilsson.

Sister Nilsson of the Sandy 9th Ward, Sandy Utah Hillcrest Stake, was a full-time Church service missionary in Nauvoo from September 1993 to December 1994, called to decorate the sites in those years. Sister Stoddard was her assistant.

This year, Sister Stoddard, now a Church service missionary from Monument Park 3rd Ward, Salt Lake Foothill Stake, was in charge of decorating the sites, and Sister Nilsson returned to assist her.

Also instrumental in the decorating was Durell Nelson, horticulturist at Nauvoo Restoration Inc. and president of the Nauvoo Illinois Stake.

The Christmas spirit among the missionaries in Nauvoo was manifest during a photo session at the John Taylor home. Sister Dorothy Jenkins discovered that an antique pump organ in the home is functional, except for one key. She began to play Christmas carols, and the other missionaries gathered around for an impromptu singing session.

"We had such a grand time standing there singing carols, we couldn't get people to go back to work," Elder Price said.