With a little extra push from the Zebulon Beautification Committee, downtown Zebulon has been coated in green, red and white. Committee Chair Ramona Davis says 75 percent more stores are decorated for the season than in past years.

The decorations, she says, make downtown more attractive and that was her committee's goal from Day One.

"We started this committee to make that corridor as attractive as possible and I think we've done that for Christmas," Davis said. "It's been a real cooperative effort between the Zebulon Beautification Committee, the merchants and the Zebulon Woman's Club, and I found it was a delight working with the downtown merchants on the Christmas decorations."

Some stores took to the initiative on their own while the Woman's Club lent a hand to others.

Davis said Barhams Restaurant's snow-covered display and the display at Larry's Used Furniture and Antiques really stand out.

"Jim Slaughter at Zebulon Jewelry and Pawn also had his windows painted with a Christmas theme," Davis added. "Jim was the first one to decorate and was the one who got the ball rolling."

Verla Lewis of the Zebulon Woman's Club furnished all the decorations - consisting of Christmas trees, wrapped gifts, Santa and figurines wearing holiday attire - and decorated the front windows of the Zebulon Beauty Supply.

The Woman's Club used leftover Christmas lights from last year's Rotary yard sale to light the three evergreens it previously planted in the vacant lot just south of the Zebulon Beauty Supply.

Woman's Club members also made 30 wreaths and placed them at no charge on each of the businesses that requested one. They plan to collect the wreaths and save them to use again next year.

"We scavenged our attics and came up with some decorations and the merchants were very cooperative," Davis said. "A couple needed some help, and we did. We spent no money on the decorations. They are all things that have been donated for the Christmas season."

Davis said the businesses were excited to do a little extra to spruce up downtown.

Brenda Adams, manager of Larry's Used Furniture, said it is for a good cause.

"With the town decorated, it entices people to come and browse, even if they don't buy anything," she said. "When stuff looks pretty you have a tendency to go check it out. They come, look around and see what Zebulon has to offer."

Davis hopes to get as many businesses as possible to burn their Christmas lights until 10 p.m. throughout the season.

"I think it makes the downtown look more alive," she said. "That's a major corridor, and I think people riding through will see that's an area we care about."