NEW HOLIDAY ORNAMENT AVAILABLE FROM MERCHANTS

In keeping with a five-year theme, the newest downtown Cape Girardeau holiday ornament will have a familiar look -- Old St. Vincent's Church.

The church, which is still used for various functions, is 147 years old.

This year's ornament is the last in a series of five issued by the Downtown Merchants Association.

The hand-painted ornament, which went on sale this week in downtown stores, features the historic church building, located at 131 S. Main.

The ornaments aren't so much holiday collectibles as they are decorative items, said Judith Anne Lang, owner of Judith Anne's, a gift shop. Lang headed the committee to select each of the ornaments themes.

The first ornament featured the Common Pleas Courthouse and the downtown clock.

Lang said a few more of the courthouse ornaments were produced this year too.

"We had less than 1,000 ornaments made the first year," said Lang. "A lot of people missed the first year."

"This will give some people an opportunity to put together the complete set of five," said Lang.

The second-year ornament featured the old bridge which crosses the Mississippi River here.

The third ornament, presented in conjunction with the university's 125th anniversary featured Academic Hall at Southeast Missouri State University.

Last year's ornament, a millennium ornament, also featured the clock and the courthouse.

The ornaments are designed by a company in Maine that creates custom ornaments for a number of different cities and regions.

Proceeds from the ornament sales go to the Downtown Merchants Association.