HOLIDAY WINDOWS UNVEILED TODAY

While turkey, family and football are the essence of Thanksgiving, to some families the holiday won't be complete until they journey out to look at Christmas windows.

Two Cape Girardeau businesses once again will unveil their decorated windows today, each with Christmas themes that are sure to delight the young and warm many hearts.

Hutson's Fine Furniture, 43 S. Main, and Furniture Fair, 1 N. Main, open their window displays every Thanksgiving Day. This will be the 36th year for the Hutson Furniture store and the 18th for Furniture Fair. Both businesses are owned by the Hutson family.

Both windows will be unveiled at about 10 a.m. today, said Chris Hutson. They will be open until after New Year's.

An old-fashioned Victorian Christmas will be featured in Hutson's Furniture window. The scene will be set in a room decorated in Victorian style.

Visitors will see Santa Claus as he tickles the ivories playing holiday favorites. His little helpers enjoy the music as they decorate the tree. The jolly old elf will sing along as the music is heard outside by passers-by and spectators.

As always, a train will be included in the display, Hutson said, explaining the train will circle the base of the Christmas tree.

After 36 years, Hutson Furniture is the father of Christmas windows in Cape Girardeau. Hutson said it is a long-standing tradition that takes the Hutson family about five weeks to prepare.

"It's a family time for us," Hutson said. "We get together basically every night after work and on the weekends. We all sit and talk business.

"We may fuss and fight while we're doing it, but we'd be lost without it."

It is not unusual for the family to be there into the late hours of the night before Thanksgiving, putting last-minute touches on the displays.

The Hutsons also decorate window of their other furniture business, Furniture Fair.

This year's window will spotlight Santa's Ski Resort. Elves and gnomes are skiing down the course next to a ticket booth.