Add seasonal bazaars to your list of holiday shopping locations
39th Annual Pilot Club
Holiday Home Tour & Tea
Sunday, Dec 8, from 1-5 p.m. nday,
Tea will be at 1061 East Morton at Twisted Tree
The Home Tour will include the following homes:
Tickets are available at Hy-Vee, Jacksonville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and from any Pilot Club member at $15.00 per ticket.
Current
Holiday Guide October 2024
Every Thursday-Saturday 1-5pm
Clear Creek Mercantile
131 N. Pitt, Virginia
Many items 40% off
Saturday, October 5 10am
Prayer Breakfast
Murrayville Community Building
503 Main, Murrayville Reservations 217-882-4041
Saturday, October 12 10-4
Friends of Rexroat Prairie Log Cabins Day
Kids activities, demonstrations, food, tours of the prairie Located South of Virginia on Route 78
Christmas Open House
Friday, Nov. 8th & Saturday, Nov. 9th 9:30am-5pm
Sunday, October 13 10:30-1pm
Carry-out Style Soup Luncheon Soup, cornbread, dessert Tickets $7 in advance, $8 at door Faith Lutheran Church 1385 W. Walnut, Jacksonville
Saturday, October 19 10-2
Pumpkin Festival
Pie eating contest, hot wings challenge, pet & kid costume contests, activities, Bounce houses, pumpkins decorating contest, pumpkin drop. $10/person Jacksonville Main Street Downtown Jacksonville
Saturday, October 19 5:30 pm
Weiner Roast behind Murrayville Community Building 503 Main, Murrayville
Sunday, October 20 11am – 3pm
St. Francis of Assisi Fall Dinner
Mon-Sat 9:30am-5pm Sun 11am-4pm Find us for all your decorating needs!
635 East Morton Ave, Jacksonville 15% OFF your total purchase (excluding tax) both days!
Novem ber 23 9a m u ntil sold out
Dine In/Carryout $18
St. Norbert’s Church, Hardin, Il Fried Chicken, Sliced Roast Beef, & sides Fellowship, crafts, kids Activities, Raffle, Sweet Shop
Thursday, October 24 3pm
Alaska Cruise Tour Group
Informational Meeting at Farmers State Bank & Trust
200 West State, Jacksonville World Travel
Pilot Club of Jacksonville members: Shelle Allen, Barb Austin, Vickie Austin, Diana Bushnell, JoAnn Chumley, Delsie Clancy, Beth Eilers, Diane Farmer, Martha Hauck, Karla Henderson, Linda Meece, Tammy Mellor, Clair Moos, Sue Morrow, Patty & Dale Osborne, Lisa Pierce, Mindy Rader, Jody Rees, Angela Salyer, ZoEllen Smith, Mary Specht, Karla Stice, Billie Summers, Joyce Surbeck, Sue Tapscott, Alice Thomas, Sue Thomas, Carol Wallbaum, Caron Yates, and Tina Young.
Smith House
HOLIDAY GUIDE CALENDAR
Thursday, October 31
5:30-7:30pm
Trunk or Treat Church Parking Lot
Murrayville United Methodist
504 Main, Murrayville
November 2024
Every Thursday-Saturday 1-5pm
Clear Creek Mercantile
131 N. Pitt, Virginia
Many items 40% off Saturday, Nov 2 10-5
Woodyard’s Holiday Open House
Specials-Samples-Gift Ideas
1851 S. Main St, South Jacksonville
Saturday, Nov 2 9-3
3rd Annual Craft & Vendor Show
Morgan County Fairgrounds (under grandstand) Jacksonville
Thursday, Friday & Saturday|
November 7th – 6-8:30pm
November 8th – 9-5:30pm
November 9th – 9-1pm
Join us for our Open House
Pharmacy Plus
508 N. Main St, Carrollton
First 25 in Thursday evening will receive a FREE gift
Friday & Saturday
November 8th & 9th
9:30am-5pm
Christmas Open House
15% off your total purchase (excluding tax) both days
Primrose & Lace
635 E. Morton Ave, Jacksonville
Fri, Sat. & Sun
November 8th & 9th 9-4
November 10 – 12-3
Christmas Open House
Special pricing all weekend
Tipsord’s Florist & Gifts
776 Old Route 36, Winchester
Fri, Sat. & Sun
November 8th-10th
Annual Christmas Open House
Nickorbobs • 14260 Frazee Rd, Divernon
Hilda’s Antique Mall • 14266 Frazee Rd, Divernon
Open 10-5 Every Day 10% off both malls
Sat & Sun
November 16th &17th 10-5
Extended Christmas Sale
Nickorbobs • 14260 Frazee Rd, Divernon
Hilda’s Antique Mall • 14266 Frazee Rd, Divernon
Friday, November 22
Pinkmas Retail Shopping
Downtown Jacksonville
Saturday, November 23rd 9am until sold out
Holiday Cookies & Candies
$6.00/lb
Centenary United Methodist Church 331 E State, Jacksonville
HOLIDAY GUIDE CALENDAR DDD
November 2024
Saturday, Nov 23 9-5
Sunday, Nov 24 11am
Festival of Trees
Kids room, Attic holiday room, treats, Bow-Wow bits for pets, pictures with Santa and Jack Frost
Doors open at 11am Sunday for tree viewing Auction starts at 1pm on Sunday Pathway Services 1905 W Morton, Jacksonville
Sunday, November 24
5:30PM
Community Thanksgiving Service
Murrayville Community Building 503 Main, Murrayville
Friday, November 29
6 pm
WJVO Light Parade
Downtown Jacksonville
Saturday, November 30 9-11 am
A Very Beard Christmas
2298 State Hwy 123, Ashland
Saturday, November 30
9-4 pm
Central Park Market
Carriage Rides, Holiday Beverages at the Vault
Downtown Jacksonville
Saturday, November 30 5-9 pm
Festival of Lights Trolley
Downtown Jacksonville
THANK YOU TO OUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE YEARS AND HAPPY FALL TO ALL!
The leaves are turning and the air is crisp… Fall is here… time to decorate your home, office, porch or patio.
December 2024
Every Thursday-Saturday 1-5pm
Clear Creek Mercantile 131 N. Pitt, Virginia Many items 40% off
Sunday, December 1
Advent Calendar Reveals at 5pm
Farmers State Bank & Trust
Downtown Jacksonville
Sunday, December 1 4:30PM
Community Tree Lighting Santa Visit behind Murrayville Post Office Murrayville
Sunday, December 4
Don’t Miss the Annual Christmas Open House 3-day event from 10-5 November 8th, 9th, and 10th Everything will be 10% OFF in both malls.
Plus we have an extended Christmas Sale November 16th and 17th.
Come see Santa and Mrs. Claus at Hilda’s and we have horse and carriage rides at Nickorbobs September 14th from 12-4pm.
Nickorbobs
Advent Allegro at Faith Lutheran Concert with $5.00 soup lunch Lunch at 11:30am Concert at 12:15pm Faith Lutheran Church 1385 W. Walnut, Jacksonville
Hilda’s Antique Mall 14266 Frazee Road Divernon, IL 62530 217-628-9192 and the air is crisp… her
Saturday, December 7
Downtown Window Decorations Winner to be announced. Carriage Rides, Holiday Beverages at the Vault
Saturday, December 7
Santa Run at Fitness World
Registration at 8am. Running at 10 am 1521 W. Walnut, Jacksonville
Saturday, December 7
10am-12 noon
Cookie Walk
Homemade cookies, candies, breads, etc.
Salem Lutheran Annex Corner of College & S. East Street, Jacksonville
HOLIDAY GUIDE CALENDAR DDD CONTINUED
Saturday, December 7
10th Annual Winchester
Hometown Christmas
• Kiwanis Pancake and Sausage Breakfast – 8 am – 10 am – Sibert Hall – 20 N. Walnut. Vendors at various locations in Winchester (see Facebook page for details closer to time) – 9 am – 3 pm. Specials at a Variety of Local Businesses. Winchester FFA selling handmade fresh greenery wreaths on the square. Cookie and Candy Walk – 9 am – Noon – 1st Christian Church – 20 N. Main. Community
Christmas Carol Sing Along – music/lyrics/holiday treats – Winchester Old School Museum starting at 1:00 pm. Train Display at the Winchester Train Depot – 9 am – 3 pm – 245 W. Cherry. Open House/ Refreshments/Tour of Winchester Train Depot–12–1 pm – 245 W. Cherry. Stop by and Vote for your favorite “Disguise a Gingerbread Man” Contest from 9 am to noon at the Winchester Public Library. (To enter the contest prior to December 7 – Visit their website at winchesterpubliclibrary.org) Santa will be in his house from 1 – 3 pm for visitors. Winchester Lighted Christmas Parade (one of the largest in the area) coordinated by the WHS Key Club – 6:30 pm. Following the parade, Memory Tree ceremony and parade entries will be announced – Winchester Square. Stop by and Vote for your favorite “Disguise a Gingerbread Man” Contest from 9 am to noon at the Winchester Public Library. (To enter the contest prior to December 7 – Visit their website at winchesterpubliclibrary.org)
Stop by and shop for holiday gif ts...or a little something just for yourself. Introducing our new Rustic/Farmhouse/Vintage Gif t line Special Sales. Drawings.
Sunday, December 11
Advent Allegro at Faith Lutheran Concert with $5.00 soup lunch
Lunch at 11:30am Concert at 12:15pm
Faith Lutheran Church 1385 W. Walnut, Jacksonville
Thursday, December 12 8-3pm
Gift Basket Give Away
Tickets $1 per ticket or 6 tickets for $5 Cookie/Candy Walk - $6 per pound Jacksonville Area Senior Center 1309 S Main, Jacksonville
Saturday, December 14
Carriage Rides, Holiday Beverages at the Vault Downtown Jacksonville
HOLIDAY GUIDE CALENDAR DDD
Sunday, December 15th 10:15 am
Christmas Cantata
Murrayville United Methodist Church
504 Main, Murrayville
Sunday, December 18
Advent Allegro at Faith Lutheran
Concert with $5.00 soup lunch
Lunch at 11:30am Concert at 12:15pm
Faith Lutheran Church 1385 W. Walnut, Jacksonville
Thursday, December 19 7:00pm
Blue Christmas Service
Murrayville United Methodist Church
504 Main, Murrayville
Easy ways to support small businesses
It’s easy to overlook how integral small businesses are to local economies. Thankfully, it’s easy for anyone to support the small businesses that make their communities unique.
• Shop locally or online from small businesses as much as possible.
• Actively discover new businesses in your town, check them out, and then spread the word.
• Share posts from small businesses on social media.
• Attend special events or promotions hosted by local businesses.
• Share a quick photo of something you bought at a small business.
Communities can embrace various ways to support the small businesses that make Main Street unique.
Saturday , November 23rd 9:00am-5:00pm
Sunday . November 24th
Doors open at 11 for tree viewing
Auction Starts at 1:00pm
Holiday shopping tips you can’t afford to miss
The festive and fun nature of the holiday season can make it easy to forget the benefits of being frugal. Many people go overboard on holiday spending, making this time of year costly for consumers.
Sales between the beginning of November 2023 and Christmas Eve 2023 climbed 3.1 percent from the year earlier, according to the Mastercard SpendingPulse. The National Retail Federation reported in November 2023 that holiday spending was expected to reach between $957 and $966 billion. Trading Economics, a financial market indicator and forecast provider, said personal spending in the United States only rose 0.2 percent in May 2024 from the previous month, which marked the lowest increase since January 2024.
Shoppers who want to spend less and stick to a budget for holiday entertaining and gifting can keep these budgeting tips in mind.
• Set a value to gift recipients. It may sound harsh, but certain people on holiday shopping lists may be assigned a higher value than others. For example, you wouldn’t necessarily spend the same amount on a gift for a child’s teacher as you would for a grandmother. Putting a dollar figure next to each name on the shopping list helps you identify your expected spending and where you can cut back, if necessary.
Informational Meeting
THURSDAY. OCTOBER 24 AT
• Establish your overall budget. Once you have an idea of your potential holiday expenditures, set a firm budget. Avoid the temptation of impulse buys, which can make it easy to go over budget.
• Begin shopping early. Start scouring ads and looking for deals prior to Thanksgiving or Black Friday. Keep a running list of gift ideas and when the price is right, purchase those items.
• Price check “perfect gifts.” If you’ve spotted the perfect gift for someone but it’s beyond budget, see if you can find a better price elsewhere, says Better Money Habits. There are apps that allow users to scan barcodes and check items across various retailers. Many stores also have price-match policies that can save shoppers money.
• Look for deals all of the time. Many people get hung up on perceived deep discounts from Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers. However, industry experts say there often isn’t a huge difference in markdowns between these promotions and those during other sales. Some retailers even increase prices on goods only to mark them down for Black Friday to make it appear that there is a discount. Only by knowing the average price for items can you know if a sale is legitimate.
• Sign up for store rewards. If you don’t want your regular email inbox inundated with offers, set up a separate email account for in-store and online shopping. Then you can sign up for the rewards programs at checkout. Utilize the coupon codes and advertisements for sales to save money without having your primary email data shared with other marketers.
• Track spending carefully. If you don’t know how much you’re spending, then you cannot possibly stick to a budget. After each purchase, keep a running tally of all holiday spending to see how far you are from the finish line.
The holidays can be expensive, but with smart budgeting and dedication to savvy shopping, it’s possible to stay out of financial trouble.
Why supporting local small businesses matters
The holiday season is a time of year when shopping takes center stage. While online giants and big box retailers seem to be everywhere, offering an endless array of products with the convenience of low prices, small businesses provide a range of benefits that go far beyond the ease of a mouse click or mountains of merchandise. Shopping local retailers is more than just a transaction — it is crucial for maintaining the economic foundation of local communities. Let’s take a look at the many ways it pays to shop small businesses during the holidays and all year long.
• Strengthen the local economy: A large percentage of the money spent at small businesses stays in the community. That’s because these businesses often are owned and operated by local residents who are invested in the community themselves. Various studies indi-
cate that for every $100 spent at a small business, roughly $70 stays in the community.
• Enhanced customer service: Owners and employees of small businesses have a keen interest in keeping customers happy. They often do so by providing superior customer service. Tailoring recommendations, exhibiting a willingness to accommodate special requests, offering a more engaging shopping experience, and being more friendly and connected with regular customers sets many small businesses apart.
• Support the community: Small businesses serve the community through the products and services they offer, and many give back in other ways as well. Small, locally owned businesses often sponsor schools, sports teams and charities. This helps foster a sense of belonging in the community.
• Innovative offerings: Small businesses are not beholden to corporate policies or franchise restrictions, so they can more readily bring new life to existing ideas and trends. Small businesses can offer customers different options that larger retailers cannot match.
• Job creation: Small businesses employ a significant percentage of the workforce and frequently provide jobs that might not be available in larger corporate settings. The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy says small businesses have generated 12.9 million net new jobs over the past 25 years, accounting for two out of every three jobs added to the U.S. economy. Keeping residents
working helps strengthen local communities.
There are numerous benefits to shopping at small businesses this Small Business Saturday and throughout the year. Such firms help to establish a more resilient, diverse and bustling local community.
Add seasonal bazaars to your list of holiday shopping locations
There is no shortage of options to find every item on your holiday shopping list. Shopping malls, online retailers and mom and pop stores along Main Street can be great spots to grab holiday deals, but shoppers also can find great gifts at holiday fairs and bazaars.
Bazaars are found all over the world, but are notable to Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Bazaars are marketplaces that feature several small shops or vendor stalls. In some countries, bazaars are outdoors and covered by tents, while in others they feature several stalls set up in large rooms.
Holiday bazaars often pop up during the holiday season and mimic international marketplaces. They may be hosted by cities or towns,
Friends of Rexroat Prairie LOG CABINS DAY
October 12, 2024 10-4
Kid’s activities, demonstrations, food, tours of the Prairie
Located south of Virginia on Route 78
schools or places of worship. Sometimes they are fundraising opportunities, with nonprofit organizations charging a stall- or table-renting fee for bazaar participants. Holiday fairs and bazaars often bring together an array of different retailers, many of whom are small businesses selling interesting wares.
Shoppers should tak advantage of every opportunity to visit these holiday bazaars because they will only be around for a short time. Here’s a look at some of the benefits of bazaar shopping for the holidays.
• Patronize small businesses. Holiday bazaars often bring together small businesses that may not normally have storefronts. This allows shoppers to meet the individuals behind
3RD ANNUAL
Craft
and Vendor Show
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2 9am-3pm Morgan County Fairgrounds (under grandstand)
businesses they already patronize or discover new firms they were previously unacquainted with.
• Shop unique wares. Holiday bazaars may showcase items not easily found elsewhere, from handcrafted jewelry to unique soaps to custom woodworking items.
• Develop new relationships. Shopping at holiday bazaars enables you to meet and interact with new people. This can expand your social circles and may even expand your professional network.
• Enjoy the shopping experience. Shopping away from the bustle of larger, busier retail stores gives you a break from the harried shopping experience many experience during the holiday season. Rather, holiday fairs and bazaars typically are less crowded and engage at a slower pace. Plus, they may have a more homespun decorating design that can have you feeling like you’re shopping in a Christmas village.
• Take advantage of food vendors. Food vendors likely will be mixed within the offerings of the holiday bazaar. That gives you opportunity to take the day off from cooking and enjoy some savory and sweet bites while grabbing gifts.
Holiday shopping bazaars are great places to shop for the holidays.
Various components come together to make the holiday season a festive time of year. There is a lot to get done in a short amount of time during the holiday season, and part of that includes shopping for all of the family members and friends on your shopping list. Shopping can be a complicated process that involves identifying which stores will be the best places to shop. Local retailers make the perfect place to shop for holiday items.
According to the American Express Business Economic Impact Study, more than two-thirds of every dollar spent with a local business stays in the community. Indeed, shopping local benefits consumer and community alike. The following are some of the many perks to shopping locally throughout the holiday season.
• Personalized attention: Small businesses are known for their personalized customer service and owners and staff are often lauded for taking the
Why you shoud shop local for the holidays and beyond
time to interact and learn about their customers, a dynamic that is impossible at larger retailers.
• Meet and interact with people: Shopping in-person at local stores, you’ll see faces from your community and become better known in the local area.
• Shorter lines: Local stores are bound to have smaller crowds
and thus shorter lines. That translates to less stress and hassle when it comes to getting in and out with holiday gifts.
• Smaller carbon footprint: Pollution, traffic congestion, habitat loss, and resource depletion may not occur on the same levels when shopping locally compared to patronizing big box stores. That’s because local retailers tend to create
or source their products locally, whereas many big box stores secure their goods overseas.
• Easier parking: This goes hand-in-hand with smaller crowds, as shopping locally does not typically require driving up and down endless aisles at malls or standalone retail stores in an effort to find a parking spot. Local retailers in town may have on-street
parking or closed lots that are convenient to shoppers.
• Small batch shopping experience: Consumers can secure items in small businesses that are not carbon copies of those found across the country at major retail
chains. When seeking a unique, thoughtful gift, shopping locally is the way to go.
Shopping locally this holiday season provides an array of benefits to consumers, and helps to solidify a strong Main Street in communities.
10th Annual Winchester Hometown Christmas
December 7, 2024
Follow our Facebook Page at “ Winchester IL Hometown Christmas” for continual updates! (All events in Winchester, IL)
• Kiwanis Panc ake and S ausage Breakfast –8 am – 10 am – Siber t Hall – 20 N. Walnut
• Vendors at various loc ations in Winchester (see Facebook page for details closer to time) 9 am – 3 pm
• Specials at a Variety of Local Businesses
• Winchester FFA selling handmade fresh greener y wreaths on the square
• Cookie and Candy Walk – 9 am – Noon –1st Christian Church – 20 N. Main
• Community Christmas Carol Sing Along –music/lyrics/holiday treats – Winchester Old School Museum star ting at 1:00 pm
• Train Display at the Winchester Train Depot –9 am – 3 pm – 245 W. Cherr y
• Open House/Refreshments/Tour of Winchester Train Depot–12–1 pm – 245 W Cherr y
• S anta will be in his house from 1 – 3 pm for visitors
• Stop by and Vote for your favorite “Disguise a Gingerbread Man” Contest from 9 am to noon at the Winchester Public Librar y ( To enter the contest prior to December 7 – Visit their website at winchesterpubliclibrar y.org)
• Winchester Lighted Christmas Parade (one of the largest in the area) coordinated by the WHS Key Club – 6:30 pm
• Following the parade, Memor y Tree Ceremony and parade entries will be announced – Winchester Square
