Cherub Spreads Holiday Cheer in Indy

Wednesday, November 14, 2012 | Christine Beyer

With four distinct shopping districts in the heart of downtown, including the bustling Circle Center Mall, it’s no wonder Forbes magazine named Indianapolis one of the top five ‘Best Shopping Cities in the US.’

Shopping is a pretty old tradition in the Circle City. Indy has been a hotspot for holiday shopping since 1946. After World War II ended, legendary commercial artist Virginia Holmes moved to Indy to work in advertising at the L.S. Ayres department store. With merchandise in supply short and a catalog to fill, she created the whimsical cherub figure to splash the empty catalog pages.

Then, in 1947, in celebration of their 75th anniversary, L.S. Ayres commissioned David Rubins, an Indianapolis sculptor, to create a bronze rendering of the cherub to adorn its outdoor clock. In a tradition that continues today, the cherub appears the day after Thanksgiving on top of the clock outside the former L.S. Ayres building on the corner of Washington and Meridian Streets.

In honor of the holidays, we are offering the perfect opportunity to see the cherub in person. Now through January 6, Hoosier Residents can stay at 20 of our top hotels at rates up to 50 percent off along with discounts to Indy’s holiday events and attractions. Just  make sure to book your room 72 hours in advance of the date of stay and have an Indiana ID handy at check-in. To keep you salivating, here’s a little taste of our crazy low hotel rates:

Conrad Indianapolis: $149/night

Omni Severin Hotel: $99/night

Crowne Plaza: $89/night

But that’s not it. At check-in, guests will be welcomed with a discount booklet to some of Indy’s best restaurants, stores and attractions.

Sounds pretty good, right? Well, its about to get better:

While you’re downtown, take a break from holiday gift-hunting with four tickets to the Indianapolis Zoo, courtesy of Visit Indy! To enter, leave a comment depicting your favorite holiday memory. Winner will be selected at random on Monday, Nov. 19. Winner has 24 hours to respond to their email or we will pick another winner. Good luck!

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Tagged: Holidays, Indianapolis Cherub, Indianapolis Zoo, Shopping.
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  • http://twitter.com/tokarrai Double T

    My favorite holiday memory always revolves around piling into the car and just driving. Checking out all of the holiday decorations put up by the city, or by individuals. Good family time.

  • Christy Fishburn

    My favorite holiday memory is when I was a kid (of course) and getting up in the middle of the night to see if Santa came and to run into the room to see the glow of the beautiful doll I had asked for from Santa – I grabbed the doll, held it close and went to sleep on the floor next to the tree holding the doll.

  • http://twitter.com/4thfrog Amy Magan

    My favorite holiday memory is the now formerly annual Christmas shopping
    trip to the retail mecca that is Cleveland, OH that I would go on with
    my grandmother, mom and aunts. It always included serious shopping, lots
    of laughter and food.

  • http://twitter.com/bethanynine bethanynine

    Riding the Christmas train at the old site of State Museum is one of my favorites. I’m sure it’s just as fun at the new State Museum, but I don’t fit anymore. :)

  • Tonya S

    My favorite Christmas memory is the annual traditions we used to have when my Grandparents were still living. Every Christmas Eve, we started out at my Grandparents house, then went home to stay up really, really late eating shrimp cocktail and listening to Christmas music. It was always an evening full of love, laughter & great food.

  • Eileen Dennie

    My favorite holiday memory was receiving a special gift from my parents. Playing Santa as usual, my dad handed me the last gift under the tree, a box from fast-food seafood restaurant Long John Silver’s (back then the kids’ meal boxes were shaped like the restaurant building). Inside was a pair of opal earrings. I took that as their blessing–finally–on getting my ears pierced. What’s funny is that neither of my parents remember this presentation, but I have the earrings and the pierced ears to prove it happened.

  • Nathan

    Hands down, getting out the step stool and making Chocolate Chip cookies with my mom on Christmas Eve for Santa Clause every year. We just restarted the tradition again, without Santa of course

  • Leslie

    My favorite memory has to be riding The Polar Express with our kids every year. I’m pretty sure that I love it more than they do, and it’s my birthday gift every year. It’s just a magical experience.

  • angela b.

    The christmas tree lighting at the monument circle downtown indy!

  • http://www.facebook.com/michelle.hahn Michelle Hahn

    Definitely when my while family gets together for Christmas dinner and gift exchanges! I life watching my nieces and nephews open they presents! They are so excited and happy!

  • Tamara

    My favorite holiday memories are those of when my son was younger and I had Fridays off. We would take advantage of that time and visit the Children’s Museum for Holly Days and the Indiana Statue Museum to ride the train and see Santa. He’s 24 now and all grown up but he always makes Christmas special. I’m looking forward to reliving those days with my grandchildren.

  • http://www.facebook.com/david.ayers1 David Ayers

    For my wife and I, our favorite holiday memory will forever be Christmas Eve in 1990 when I asked her to marry me on Monument Circle. It’ll be 21 years and counting on Dec. 28th.

  • http://www.facebook.com/penny.miller.315 Penny Miller

    I remember walking around to see all the window displays and lights as a family. The window displays were magical!

  • ibereesecup

    When I was young and my grandparents were still alive. We are a huge family and we would all get together at least this time of year at my grandparents home. I loved those simple times.

  • http://www.facebook.com/lisa.yeager2 Lisa Yeager

    My favorite Holiday memory is baking cookies with ALL the females in our family (all 12 of us)! It started the day after Thanksgiving, and we baked every weekend up to Christmas. (I guess that is why the majority of us are plus-sized women!)

  • http://twitter.com/Eva_Marie_ EvaMarie

    I love going to Christmas at the Zoo. My parents took me and now my husband and I take our son. The animals at night, twinkling lights, hot cocoa and then the all important talk with Santa. Its just so wonderful and fun!

  • Celeste Napoli

    Getting up early with my daughter and nephew when they were still tiny and sooo excited to see what Santa left!

  • http://twitter.com/JonBausman Jon Bausman

    I have many holiday memories and traditions. One I always enjoy is watching the lighting of the tree downtown and enjoying some white hot chocolate from South Bend Chocolate Factory..of course, you have to enjoy it with a white chocolate dipped spoon!

  • Meghan Ott

    My favorite holiday memory is when I went into labor with my daughter after we celebrated christmas! she was the best Christmas gift ever!

  • http://www.facebook.com/jeanie.hawes.92 Jeanie Hawes

    Every Christmas we make a new memory every year when we pick out a tree, which seems to get bigger and bigger every year!

  • http://twitter.com/sweetbabygirl01 paola vargas

    We were a very poor family in our country and on Christmas Eve we had no money for dinner or gifts for a guy who came to visit arrived with gifts and a Christmas dinner largest pinata and that is the best memory I have of Christmas

  • Camille

    The youngest of 13 children, I remember my older siblings and their families coming home for Christmas. My mother made many Christmas cookies and candies and after attending church on Christmas Eve, we’d gather around the piano and sing Christmas songs and carols. When it snowed, my father would have to leave and plow snow because he worked for the city. While we weren’t wealthy, we always had gifts to open and a warm meal on the table to eat.

  • Julia M.

    Spending the holiday with my family, and witnessing the joy and wonder on the faces of my beloved children. They are my treasures!