By now, you’ve probably noticed at least one of the roughly 40 giant toy soldiers that have adorned Framingham for the holiday season.

Seven years ago, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department started a scavenger hunt for residents to take part in this time of year. We wanted to learn more about when these soldiers started to pop up, where they come from, and why they’re so notable for the community.

We spoke with Jim Snyder and Elaine Prue with Framingham’s Parks and Recreation team, as well as AFTV community member Dave Hornfischer—who has a personal connection to the toy soldiers—to learn more about what goes into this tradition.