Holiday ‘Little Village’ Display Keeps Growing

For the past three years, Urbana shoppers have gotten a glimpse of life in the 1950’s at Christmas time. More than 500 tiny village pieces make up a free exhibit put on by the American Cancer Society. Roberta Morris got the first collectable from her mother, and she's added on for 22 years. Her vision is on display at Lincoln Square Mall until the start of 2017.

"So there's a lot of old vehicles, 15-cent McDonald's hamburgers, so it mimics the time from the 50's, when everybody was prospering, and America was fun," she said. 

Morris says the tiny community of lighted houses and businesses is not really meant to emulate Champaign-Urbana.

"It's the vision that came out of my head," she said. "I do call one area Prospect Avenue, because we have a lot of restaurants out there." Morris also says she shakes things up from year to year to avoid being repetitive.

She continues to get donations of new collectables, and takes suggestions for those to add in the future.

Morris’ tiny village will be on display until 7 p.m. Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Urbana’s Lincoln Square Mall. She plans to keep it up until after New Year’s Day.

All donations benefit the American Cancer Society. The Prairie Dragon Paddlers, a group of cancer survivors, is serving refreshments.