Leafing through their portfolio, Fontecchio points out a scene of St. George slaying a dragon that they carved and erected for a past First Night display. That creation was nearly 40 feet high, and the team had to design special equipment to raise the already-carved blocks to that height.

Other New Year scenes have drawn from "Aladdin" and "The Wizard of Oz."

This year, however, their task is particularly daunting.

"There is so much more to do for the millennium celebration," Fontecchio assesses, his eyes widening at the thought of the work that awaits them.

"People expect things to be bigger and better. And the crowds will be absolutely huge. Forget Times Square, over two million people will be right here in Boston," he says.

The qualifications of Brookline Ice's sculptors are evident on its Web site, www.brooklineice.com. The company bills itself as the world's largest ice-carving specialists with their two "internationally renowned" ice sculptors.

They've been working at this trade "too long," says Georgs gruffly, with an air of exhaustion and sarcasm.