4 minute read
CALENDAR
DECEMBER
We’re looking ahead to holiday celebrations and parades — here’s what’s happening in Kendall County
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Clip this page out and hang it on your fridge so you can experience all that December has to offer! Please check online ahead of time for public health guidelines.
Compiled by Hannah Hoffmeister
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Don’t miss Oswego’s annual Christmas Walk, or the Cookie Walk Dec. 3! Plano Rockin’ Christmas also takes place, starting at 6 p.m.
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Sandwich hosts the free Merry Little Sandwich Christmas event and tree lighting. In Yorkville, find Breakfast with Santa.
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Catch “The Nutcracker” at Sandwich Opera House, performed by Allegro Performing Arts Theater.
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Oswegoland Park Districts hosts “Knotty or Nice” macrame ornament class at Oswego Brewing Company.
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All aboard! Oswego Holiday Express train rides are this weekend; register online.
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Lyon Farm marks Christmas at the Farm on this day, then again Dec. 18. Learn more online!
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Christmas is 10 days away! Time to finish your holiday shopping. Indulge in a yummy pickme-up from a local café while out and about!
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Did you hear that? It’s “The Sound of Music,” performed at the Paramount Theatre at 8 p.m.
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It’s national maple syrup day — celebrate accordingly with pancakes or a maple-inspired dessert.
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Happy Hanukkah! The celebration starts this evening and ends Dec. 26.
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If you celebrate, we wish you a very merry Christmas!
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Happy Kwanzaa to everyone who celebrates!
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The winter solstice, or the shortest day and longest night of the year, falls on this day. It officially marks the beginning of winter.
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Three days remain to shop at Christkindlmarket in Aurora, which goes through Dec. 24 — learn more on the next page.
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It’s New Year’s Eve! How are you planning to ring in 2023?
CHRISTKINDLMARKET: AURORA EDITION
Popular Chicago market extends to RiverEdge Park this year, offering holiday cheer and gifts
By Patti MacMillan | Photos provided by Christkindlmarket
For many, it’s not quite the holidays without a trip to the Christkindlmarket. Strolling past cozy wooden booths filled with ornate treasures while sipping hot chocolate or glühwein — mulled wine served warm — can feel like the very essence of Christmas. Now, that experience is closer than it’s been in years as the organization behind Chicago’s iconic Christkindlmarket welcomes the event to Aurora’s RiverEdge Park beginning Nov. 18 and taking place Thursdays through Sundays through Dec. 24. It’s not the authentic German market’s first foray into the western suburbs. Naper Settlement in Naperville played home to the event from 2016 to 2018, but there came a point where German American Events LLC knew a bigger space was necessary for the popular offering. “This location is just ideal,” says Kate Bleeker, vice president of the organization. “When scouting for locations, I looked at many, many places. RiverEdge Park blew everything out of the water.” Among its positive attributes is the park’s proximity to the Metra train line and an abundance of parking for festive shoppers, Bleeker says. The Christkindlmarket will host more than 35 vendors selling a variety of handcrafted and unique items ranging from ornaments and holiday decor to cold weather apparel such as hats, scarves and sweaters. Gift items like candles and jewelry will dazzle under twinkling lights, and a trip to the market isn’t complete without a look at the pyramids, candle-powered rotating wooden towers that commonly feature Nativity scenes. “We work with a number of small independent artisans and the majority of vendors come over from Europe, and Germany in particular,” Bleeker says. “We try to make the experience as authentic as possible.” Even the wooden booths that transform the space into a quaint Christmas village are sent from overseas, she adds. Savory fare such as roasted nuts and German specialties including bratwurst and pretzels can be enjoyed in an oversized tent designed to look like a log cabin. Live entertainment will range from authentic German music to area choirs and dance companies. The event will also feature the Christkind, an angelic figure who acts as the traditional bearer of gifts in several parts of Germany and beyond. For more information, including a schedule of events, visit www.christkindlmarket. com/aurora.
From Our Family To Yours... May Your Christmas Be Beautiful In Every Way! May Your Christmas Be Beautiful In Every Way!
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