Holiday Card Lane shines with cheer in downtown on Church, Front streets

MADISON – Madison Arts Alliance and Madison Visionary Partners or MVP are sharing Christmas cheer with Holiday Card Lane 2024 in Madison’s historic district.

“We are thrilled to host our annual Holiday Card Lane in downtown Madison. This event highlights our talented, local artists. Each artist comes up with their own theme, and the downtown residents are proud to display these creations,” Madison Arts Alliance President Rosalie Holcombe said. The ‘lane’ features a variety of larger-than-life Christmas cards displayed in the front lawns of historic homes along Front Street and Church Street. The cards will be on exhibit through Jan. 5, 2025.

Artists for the cards have used mixed genres for the designs, including traditional, whimsical, religious and humorous. The idea for Holiday Card Lane originated in Huntsville during the 1970s and 1980s along a stretch of Holmes Avenue called “Christmas Card Lane.” Shrail Heinrich of Madison re-introduced the art display for Madison to revive a tradition for the next generation.

One of the lane’s artists, Sandra Kellum, created “The Grinch,” which has accurate details from the holiday classic by Dr. Seuss. After his change of heart about Christmas, the Grinch is carving a slice of “rare roast beast” for his dog, Max, and Cindy Lou Who from Whoville.

Quoting a reformed and caring Grinch, Kellum’s card states, “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little more.”

Some of the artists who have created a card in previous years include Stephanie Thompson, Discovery Middle School students, Teresa Batchelor, Lori Connors, Emily Barkley, Miranda Hite, Beth Paul, Gerald Clark, Carolyn Dodson-Grimm, St. John Paul II Catholic High School students, Rotary Club of Madison, Denise Onwere, Sandy Sparks, Laura Lusk and Ella-Lisa Waddell, among others.

Sponsors for Holiday Card Lane 2024 include Beltone Hearing Aid Center of Madison, Chapman Sisson Architects, Tim and Sharon Holcombe, Jarvinen & Balch LLC, Jeff York Team, Madison Family Dentistry, Daniel and Maxine Retzer and family, and River Bank & Trust. Sources of in-kind support are MVP, City of Madison, “The Madison Record,” All Things Madison and Find More Madison.

Madison Arts Alliance appreciates downtown residents’ cooperation in agreeing to host a card and make the display possible.

For more information, visit Facebook/Madison Arts Alliance.