Traditions are important in Coupeville. From the Mussel Festival to Harvest Fest, people embrace time-honored celebrations. And at Christmas, the town shows its traditional colors of red, white and green: wreaths and bows brighten businesses and homes, tiny, twinkling lights cover practically every fixture and fresh greens swath doors and windows.

This year, Coupeville lights up Saturday, Dec. 7 with all sorts of traditions. Of course there’s a parade that ends with a community tree-lighting. After that, Coupeville’s Arts and Antiques Walk comes complete with strolling Victorian carolers.

Coupeville’s Greening Day is a big tradition. But a smaller tradition on Front Street captures a lot of attention. Penn Cove Antiques and Collectible’s Christmas display shows the best of holiday traditions. Every item in the window is handmade, filled with detail and inspired by family and friends. There are two 1900-era touring cars, a garage and a junkyard, plus the Coupeville requisites of greens and lights.

John Collins, Millie Fonda and Freddie have been setting up the display for four years. But for Collins, model building has been a life-long hobby.

“The white car took me 14 years, working on and off,” he said. The cars and buildings all function even though they are made from odds and ends. “It’s fun to really look at everything and see that the cars’ lights are metal from pencil erasers,” Fonda said.

Each car has all the tools needed to make repairs on the road. The white car also has a packed picnic basket. “I made enough mistakes to fill a junkyard, so I built one,” Collins said. “It’s nice to see people find the little things,” Fonda added. Little things like a bluebird of happiness and evidence of a junkyard dog. At night, lights will be turned on in the buildings for a new view of more little things.

New this year is a remote controlled 1900 English steam launch, the “Ladybug.” The launch had sea trials in Penn Cove this summer. “She’s faster than my electric boats,” Collins said. The “Ladybug” is Coast Guard approved. “She has everything she needs: bailing buckets, life preservers, a telescope that extends and works, hand-held lanterns that work,” he said. The Ladybug also has a map on the table, as required by the Coast Guard. “She needed a map, so I found one on a bookmark,” Collins said. “I didn’t realize it was a map of the Bermuda Triangle until I was epoxying it down,” he added. “A Coast Guard guy come in and got a kick out of it. He said, ‘I’d certify it,’ ” Collins said.

“The window brings a lot of people,” Fonda said. “Folks bring their friends and guests. One year someone brought their guests from England who came too late to see it the year before.”

The couple put the window up one year and so many people asked for a repeat performance, the display became a tradition.

“This year, John was saying ‘Do I have to?’ ”, Fonda said.

“You’ll see the window’s up,” Collins replied.

Collins and Fonda enjoy life in tradition-filled Coupeville.

“Sometimes I come down in the mornings see deer stepping along Front Street,” Collins said. “After living in Issaquah for years, it’s great to have a small town, hometown place to live. And greening is a lot of fun. People come from all over,” he said.

“It’s a pretty big night on Front Street,” Fonda added.

On that pretty big night, be sure to stop and see some pretty little things in the window.

Greening Day, Dec. 7

Greening of Coupeville is today. The town’s traditional vintage decorations of evergreens swathing doorways and flaring around windows along with red ribbons and tiny white lights go up all around the Penn Cove town. Christmas Parade starts at 4 p.m. down Main and Front streets. A tree lighting in Cook’s Corner Park follows the parade. Call 678-5434.

TREASURE SALE: Come shop for the holidays at St. Mary’s annual treasure sale, from 10 a.m to 4 p.m., Dec. 7, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 207 N. Main Street, Coupeville. There will be new and used household items, baby clothes and Christmas wreaths, ornaments and decorations. The Coupeville Carolers will sing at 10:30 a.m.

CRAFT FAIR: Christmas Craft and Gift Fair, Coupeville Rec Hall, Coveland and Alexander streets, is Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 7 and 8. Hours are:10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday; call 678-3548; e-mail: foreverfriendscompany@yahoo.com.

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR: Coupeville Methodist Church. Lunch and sale of attic treasures, baked goods and handmade quilts. Call Cherry Sigrist, 678-6997, if you have items to donate.

ARTS WALK: Coupeville Arts and Antiques Walk, 5-8 p.m. along Front Street. The walk between galleries includes complimentary beverages and nibbles and features strolling Victorian carolers. Island County Historical Museum will have free admission from 5-8 p.m.

GUEST ARTIST: Whidbey resident Cathi Laferriere will be the guest artist for the artwalk at the Island County Historical Museum. Cathi works in pastels, watercolors and acrylics. Admission to the museum is free from 5 – 8 p.m. on Artwalk night. For info call 678-3310.

GALLERY OPENING: Penn Cove Pottery, located in the Old San de Fuca Store on Highway 20, will open the Christmas season with an art quilt exhibit featuring Heather Waldron Tewell and Melody Crust. The two nationally shown artist quilt artists have recently published a new book, A Fine Line (The Quilt Digest Press). The exhibit opens Dec. 7 as an extension of the Coupeville Art Walk.