DECEMBER 11-12, 2024
TO
LETTERS Santa
SANTA CLAUS WILL SOON BE COMING TO TOWN AND CHILDREN FROM THE SURROUNDING SUBURBS SHARE THEIR CHRISTMAS WISHES.
Fun ways to make christmas eve even more special
Parents know that nothing quite matches the excitement young children feel on Christmas Eve. On the day before Christmas, youngsters anxiously anticipate the arrival of Santa Claus that evening, and are perhaps even more excited by the prospects of the following morning, when they’ll race into the living room and discover all that the jolly old elf left behind.
Christmas Eve seems to have some built-in magical components, but there are a handful of ways parents can make the day even more special for children.
• Track the big guy’s movements online. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), has tracked Santa’s Christmas Eve flight for more than 60 years. Beginning on Christmas Eve, families can track Santa’s movements across the globe at Noradsanta.org. Kids can visit the site to see where Santa is at any given moment on Christmas Eve, growing more excited as the big fella gets closer and closer to their own region.
• Create a Christmas Eve craft. Gather children and their cousins and/or friends to create a special Christmas Eve craft or decoration that can be displayed next year. This is a great way to chan -
nel youngsters’ nervous Christmas Eve energy into something productive, and it can make for a great tradition families can continue even after kids are grown.
• Watch a favorite Christmas movie. Hollywood has never shied away from holiday fare, so there’s no shortage of festive films to enjoy with youngsters on Christmas Eve. Enjoy a classic like the 1947 film “Miracle on 34th Street” starring Natalie Wood as the adorable “Susan Walker” and Edmund Gwenn as “Kris Kringle,” or go with something more recent, such as “The Grinch,” the 2018 adaptation of the Dr. Seuss book How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
• Take a nighttime stroll or drive to see the lights. Lighting displays are another component that makes the holiday season so special. After Christmas Eve dinner, take a stroll through your neighborhood to see the lighting displays or climb into the car to take in a different neighborhood’s offerings if you’re already familiar with those in your own neck of the woods.
Christmas Eve is a magical day for youngsters and their parents. Some simple ideas can make the day even more meaningful for children and their families.
Yorkville Edward Jones Office Supports Toys for Tots Drive
“Toys for Tots is an extraordinary program that can make a real difference for children in our community,” said Williams . “We’re proud to be a part of it this holiday season.” Daniette Williams, a local Edward Jones financial advisor, is supporting the Joliet Campaign Toys for Tots program by using her office as a drop-off location for this year’s toy drive.
Local residents may help make a difference for children in the area by bringing in a new, unwrapped toy to the office, 803 N Bridge St, Suite A, Yorkville, IL , during regular business hours beginning December 9, 2024 through December 20, 2024. Monetary gifts, including gift cards, cannot be accepted.
Edward Jones is a leading North American financial services firm with 20,000 financial advisors as of Nov. 4, 2024. The firm serves more than 8 million clients with a total of $2.2 trillion in client
assets under care as of Sept. 27, 2024.
Edward Jones’ purpose is to partner for positive impact to improve the lives of its clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. Through the dedication of the firm’s approximately 54,000 associates and our branch presence in 68% of U.S. counties and most Canadian provinces and territories, the firm is committed to helping more people achieve financially what is most important to them.
The Edward Jones website is at www. edwardjones.com, and its recruiting website is www.careers.edwardjones.com.
Member SIPC.
This content was provided by Edward Jones for use by Daniette Williams, your Edward Jones financial advisor at 1803 N. Bridge St., Suite A, Yorkville, IL 60560, 630-3856185 Edward Jones, Member SIPC
Santa LETTERS TO
SANTA CLAUS WILL SOON BE COMING TO TOWN AND CHILDREN FROM THE SURROUNDING SUBURBS SHARE THEIR CHRISTMAS WISHES.
Fun books to read to children this holiday season
The holiday season is a special time of year for people of all ages, but children might be the most enthusiastic celebrants come December. Children spend much of the holiday season anticipating the arrival of the man in the red suit, and that enthusiasm can be contagious.
Families have their own unique traditions during the holiday season, but one popular way to harness kids’ enthusiasm between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day is to read them holiday stories. There’s no shortage of great holiday books for kids, but here are a handful that kids may remember well into adulthood.
• “The Polar Express,” by Chris Van Allsburg: The beloved tale is the story of a young boy who boards a mysterious train bound for the North Pole.
• “The Littlest Elf,” by Brandi Dougherty: Part of a series, this story focuses on a tiny elf named Oliver and a series of misadventures as he navigates his way through Santa’s workshop.
• “Olive, the Other Reindeer,” by Vivian Walsh: Olive is no ordinary reindeer. In fact, Olive is a dog who heads to the North Pole believing she is a reindeer. Her decision to join Santa’s team ultimately benefits
the big man and his trusty reindeer.
• “The Miracle of the First Poinsettia: A Mexican Christmas Story,” by Joanne Oppenheim: A little girl named Juanita is the star of this retelling of a traditional Mexican tale with a valuable lesson.
• “Gingerbread Mouse: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids,” by Katy Bratun: A fallen tree branch almost ruins Christmas for Mouse, whose determination and resourcefulness mixed in with a little Christmas magic ensures she finds a place to call home in time for the holidays.
• “A Night in Santa’s Great Big Bag,” by Kristin Kladstrup: Santa saves the day in this tale starring a young boy’s favorite stuffed animal, whose excitement for Christmas compels him to climb into Santa’s big bag of presents on Christmas Eve.
• “Santa Claus and the Three Bears,” by Maria Modugno: This twist on the popular tale “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” finds three unsuspecting bears encountering a familiar fellow in a red suit upon returning home after a nighttime walk.
• “Twas the Night Before Christmas: Edited by Santa Claus for the Benefit of Children of the 21st Cen-
tury,” by Clement C. Moore: Parents will appreciate this updated version of the popular tale that, among other things, has removed the reference to Santa smoking.
• “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” by Dr. Seuss: Children can join generations of fans that came before them as they hear the re-
demption story of the Grinch who was once determined to ruin Christmas for the happy people of Whoville.
• “The Nutcracker,” by the New York City Ballet: The classic story is retold based on famed choreographer George Balanchine’s production.
The holiday season is steeped in tradition. Reading new and classic holiday stories to children is one tradition any family can embrace.
The origings of the classic song ‘up on the Housetop’
The beloved Christmas song “Up on the Housetop” is believed to have been inspired by another popular piece of holiday writing. Written by American composer Benjamin Hanby in 1864, “Up on the Housetop” was at least in part inspired by Clement C. Moore’s 1822 poem, “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (now more widely referred to as “The Night Before Christmas”). Since Hanby wrote the song nearly two centuries ago, it has been performed by countless artists. Two of the more notable renditions were performed by famed singing cowboy Gene Autry in 1953 and television personality Kimberley Locke in 2005. That those two renditions were performed more than half a century apart is a testament to the enduring popularity of “Up on the Housetop,” which can be heard in department stores and at holiday parties throughout December.
“Up on the Housetop”
Up on the housetop reindeer paws, out jumps good old Santa Claus Down through the chimney with lots of toys
All for the little ones, Christmas joys Ho, ho ho! Who wouldn’t go? Ho,ho ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click
Down through the chimney with old Saint Nick
First comes the stocking of little Nell
Oh, dear Santa fill it well
Give her a dolly that laughs and cries
One that can open and shut her eyes
Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go? Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click
Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick
Look in the stocking of little Bill
Oh, just see what a glorious fill
Here’s a hammer and lots of tacks
Whistling ball and a whip that cracks
Ho, ho ho! Who wouldn’t go? Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click
Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick
safety first when buying
holiday toys for children
December is a special time of year for children, millions of whom await the arrival of Santa Claus and the bounty of toys he delivers each year. When buying holiday gifts for youngsters, adults must consider safety. According to the Alliance for Children and Families, approximately
217,000 children are treated at hospital emergency rooms for toy-related injuries each year. Holiday shoppers are urged to stick to age-related recommendations on product packaging and avoid toys that do not contain the ATSM (American Society for Testing and Materials) label.
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