WINDOW DISPLAYS ANIMATE THE HOLIDAY

Dave Hutson of Hutson's Fine Furniture is partially hidden by the mountain Christmas window display at 43 S. Main St. This year's display features nine electric trains.

Visitors to downtown Cape Girardeau can see two "Walls of Fame" today -- The Missouri Wall of Fame that includes caricatures of notable Missourians on the Mississippi River wall, and the Santa's Wall of Fame, depicting many of Christmas' notable characters.

The latter will be located in the window of Furniture Fair, 1 N. Main.

The animated window features Santa's elves putting the finishing touches on the Santa Wall of Fame, said Chris Hutson. The wall includes Scrooge, Santa and Mrs. Claus, the Grinch and his dog, Frosty the Snowman, Jack Frost and others."

At either end of the Furniture Fair mural are reindeer logos.

Down the street crowds can see "something old and something new" in the 35th annual window display at Hutson's Fine Furniture Co., 43 S. Main.

"We have revived one of our most favorite windows of the past and added a few changes," said Charlie Hutson, president of Hutson Enterprises, which owns Hutson's Fine Furniture, Furniture Fair and Girardeau Distributors.

This year's display at Hutson's Furniture is the scale model of Silverton, Colo., in the early 1900s. Silverton was a booming mining town during that time. The display is intricate and detailed.

Mountain ranges fill the background and a number of running trains wind through the scaled-down village. Of course, Santa Claus flies overhead in his sleigh.

An animated holiday window scene also is featured at Sample Floor Covering Center, 401 N. Clark, for a seventh straight year. The theme this year is "Happy Harley Christmas," and features a number of Santa's elves preparing a Harley Davidson motorcycle for Christmas delivery.

Included in the display is a mini-Harley and many motorcycle accessories.

"Only eight of the mini-Harleys were ever made," said Doyle Sample.

This year marks the 17th year for an animated window at Furniture Fair.

The Missouri Wall of Fame completed on the river wall this year created a lot of interest downtown, said Chris Hutson. "We did a copy of the wall for our animated window, utilizing Christmas characters. We even have Charlie Brown and his Christmas tree."

The scene finds Santa sitting on a truck, directing his elves in the painting of the wall. Jamie Wills, an employee at Furniture Fair, came up with the idea.

Hutson Furniture Co.'s is the dean of Christmas windows in Cape Girardeau.

"During the first 29 years we never had the same design or theme twice," said Charles Hutson. "But every year it gets tougher trying to dream up a new scene, and we have recycled some of the favorite scenes, including this year's window."

Three trains have been added to the original Silverton layout.

"We've also made some changes in the layout," said Hutson. The trains will be making continuous loops through the mountains.

"Basically, it's the world's largest train set," said Hutson.

The Silverton display was first used in 1989. Hutson said it was extremely popular that year and was brought back three years later, and again this year -- each time with changes.

The windows will be unveiled at about 9 a.m. today.

"Preparing these windows is a tradition with the family and with the store," Hutson said. "...We wanted to do something good for the downtown.

"When you come down here on Thanksgiving and see all the cars lined up, it gives you a good feeling that you've done something positive."

The entire family helps in the displays. Also lending a hand is Richard Stout of Stout Sign Co., who does all the artwork.