When visitors from the G-20 nations got their first glimpse of Downtown Pittsburgh coming out of the Fort Pitt Tunnels, they saw skyscrapers draped with seven-story banners acknowledging their visit.

But if any of them happened to make a stop in Forest Hills last week, they may have been pleasantly surprised by the greeting one resident had prepared for them in his front yard.

"I have been waiting for this like Ralph waited for Christmas to get his BB gun!" said Ardmore Boulevard resident Jeff Flohr, referring to the main character in the movie "A Christmas Story."

"This is the flag day of all flag days."

Mr. Flohr, an Oakland Catholic High School history teacher and owner of more than 150 flags, posted the national flag of each of the G-20 nations on his front lawn in honor of the summit last week.

And though his ultimate goal was to welcome international visitors and educate residents about the meanings behind the countries' seals, he said he couldn't help showing his fan loyalty and sense of humor in the display.

"I have all of the flags put up in alphabetical order," he said, with a laugh. "First is the American flag with the presidential seal, and the second flag is the Steelers flag.

"There's the American nation and then there's Steelers Nation ... and then we'll do Argentina, Brazil and the rest."

While the display may have taken some Ardmore Boulevard commuters by surprise, those who normally drive past would have noticed only an increase. Mr. Flohr has displayed a different country's flag on his lawn every day for more than a decade.

"People who pass by and people at the bus stops ask about [the flags]," he said. "They're beginning to recognize the flags more and more, but they don't know the holidays associated with them, so I have to tell them."

Using an intricate system involving almanacs, a self-created master catalog of flag days and a whole lot of Googling, Mr. Flohr flies a new flag daily in honor of national holidays and to recognize major world events, good and bad.

He had a little help from the borough's public works foreman, Jim Theilacker, who loaned him more than 10 extra flagpoles for the G-20. But on any given day, Mr. Flohr may fly eight to 10 flags in his yard.

"Flags are important in terms of national identity," he said, explaining his dedication to the process. "It's a good way to get an introduction to national history and to make students aware of the meaning of national flags."

Noting some of his favorites, he pointed out that Botswana's blue, black and white flag stands for the nation's proximity to water while paying homage to its leader's interracial marriage.

He called Japan's flag "the perfect combination of history and symbolism" because the solid red circle on the white flag represents the land of the rising sun. But he pointed out that the American flag's system of adding stars as a great way to note all parts of the country.

Mr. Flohr said he took down the G-20 flags over the weekend with little fanfare, but was just glad he was able to do something that made people pause for a moment to recognize the beauty in something he appreciates every day.

"My house is right on the main street," he said. "Fifty thousand cars pass all day. That's enough of a celebration."

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