After serving in World War II, graphic artist Virginia Holmes returned home to her job in the L.S. Ayres advertising department where, among other things, she was in charge of laying out the holiday catalog. With merchandise in short supply in 1946, the artist had to use her creativity to fill up the pages and support what merchandise the store did have in stock. Her solution? Cute and whimsical cherubs.

They were a hit with a public eager to embrace the whimsy and positivity of these holiday angels. Within a year, the cherubs were integrated into not only the holiday catalogs, but also advertising campaigns and eventually were even cast in bronze by Indianapolis sculptor and Herron School of Art instructor David Rubins, and placed on the store’s landmark clock at the corner of Washington and Meridian Streets.

According to legend, the whimsical cherub mysteriously appeared on Thanksgiving Eve in 1947 to keep a watchful eye on holiday shoppers until Santa took over on Christmas Eve. That tradition has continued for more than 70 years.