December 9, 2015
Christmas Traditions puts a song in your stocking
St. Charles Christmas Traditions gives visitors ample opportunity to interact with some of the most famous figures in holiday history, literature and folklore.
Holiday Guide
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Best of Western St. Charles
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Recipe
Annual Old St. Charles celebration takes on a more musical slant this holiday season
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Festive Flavorful Gifts
By Brett Auten Apologies to Julie Andrews and Rogers & Hammerstein, but the brick streets of Old St. Charles well be alive with the sound of music. Last year, the St. Charles Christmas Traditions celebrated year 40. This time around a heavy dose of holiday music will be among the highlights of this unique tradition. “The festival is always filled with music but this year we are having a lot more options,” Elizabeth Phelps, Assistant Director Greater St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau said. “People really seem to like not only having music in the street but also at specific concert times.” This year’s official Victorian carolers are St. Charles’ own Cobblestone Wassaliers who serenade you with the familiar melodies of your favorite traditional Christmas carols. And for a different type of musical treat, be sure to enjoy the Sleigh Bell Singers and the USO Evergreens - quartets that specializes in the popular holiday standards from the 1940’s and 1950’s. The Wassailers will perform on open-
ing day and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. at Berthold Square, corner of South Main Street and First Capitol Drive. Options abound for those who choose to converge onto Main Street and take in a month’s worth of celebration. At St. Charles Christmas Traditions, there’s ample opportunity to interact with some of the most famous figures in holiday history, literature and folklore. From the majestic pageantry of Santas from around the world to the good humor and cheer of the Sugarplum Fairy to the mischievous antics of the Master of Revels and Ebenezer Scrooge; each of the characters share their stories with a trading card featuring their image and a small bit of Christmas history. Collecting these cards has become a tradition for many. “People love to be able to interact with the characters,” Phelps said. “With the trading cards, adults are as addicted as the children when it comes to visiting with all of them” It’s a slow build to get the festival on
track each year. Phelps says planning begins in January with an evaluation. “We do a Survey Monkey for the visitors, guests and characters and go from there,” Phelps said. More highlights of the celebration include: See TRADITIONS on page 2
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