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22ndCenturyMedia.com holiday guide
22nd century media | November 8, 2018 | 17
Gearing up for the holidays in Winnetka and Northfield
Megan Bernard, Editor
December is a lively and exciting time
— be sure to savor the good times in your
community, Winnetka and Northfield.
This season, there are plenty fun events
for you to attend ranging from the Turkey
Day Skate to the Northfield Holiday Festival
and Winnetka’s Breakfast with Santa.
To ease your holiday stress, here is a
roundup of the local holiday events so
you won’t miss out!
Santa’s Mailbox
Nov. 21-Dec. 19, Southwest Corner
of Elm and Chestnut streets, Winnetka.
Santa’s elves will sneak into Winnetka
and drop off this magical mailbox on
Nov. 22. Children can write to Santa
and drop off their letters at his specially
designated mailbox near the Winnetka
Post Office. On Dec. 20, the elves will
pack up and take it home to the North
Pole. Include names and a return address
to ensure the elves know where to
send Santa’s response.
Turkey Day Skate
10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 22, Winnetka
Ice Arena, 490 Hibbard Road. Burn off a
few calories before Thanksgiving dinner
and enjoy a special skate day. Admission
price is $2 and skate rental is $4.
Winnetka Holiday Tree Lighting
5:30 Nov. 30, Station Park, Winnetka.
There will be a visitor from
the North Pole and festive carolers in
Victorian costumes leading singing,
as well as hot cocoa after the lighting
ceremony. Later, follow the Grinch to
The Book Stall on Chestnut Court for
a story.
Breakfast With Santa
8:30-11:30 a.m. Dec. 1, Winnetka
Community House, 620 Lincoln Ave.
Located in elegant Matz Hall, this
lovely family event has been the talk
of the town for the past several holiday
seasons. While enjoying a breakfast
buffet, families will meet and
greet Santa, have a complimentary
photo taken, create personalized crafts
and then take home a book from Mrs.
Claus’ library. Tickets are $25 and
children 2 and under are free.
Winnetka siblings (left to right) Teddy,
Thomas and Mariella Fedorinchik meet
Santa Claus last year at the Winnetka
Community House’s annual Breakfast
with Santa. 22nd Century Media File Photo
Gingerbread House Decorating
2-3 p.m. Dec. 2, Northfield Public
Library, 1785 Orchard Lane. Create
and decorate a gingerbread house using
Rice Krispies treats, graham crackers,
icing and a whole lot of candy. Take it
home or leave it in the library for display.
Register at winnetkalibrary.org.
Candy Cane Lane Tree Decorating
Dec. 4-Jan. 7, Hubbard Woods Park,
939 Green Bay Road, Winnetka. Do visions
of sugar plums dance in your head
during the holiday season? Register
your organization, club, troop, neighborhood
or family to decorate your very
own tree in Hubbard Woods Park. Each
group is responsible for their own decorations.
Decorated trees will stay up
until Jan. 2. No glass decorations will
be allowed. Additionally, keep in mind
that there is no electricity for the trees.
Register by Dec. 4 at winpark.org.
Northfield Holiday Festival
11 a.m. Dec. 8, Northfield Community
Center, 401 Wagner Road.
Make holiday memories at the newly
expanded Northfield Holiday Festival,
with activities for all generations.
Games, a bounce house, crafts, cookie
decorating, letters to Santa, holiday
music and horse-drawn wagon rides
Armin Mehic holds up his son, Holden,
in front of the tree at Winnetka’s annual
tree lighting ceremony last year at
Station Park.
through Willow Park will entertain the
whole family.
Santa’s Visit
10 a.m.-noon, Dec. 8, Hubbard
Woods Park, 939 Green Bay Road,
Winnetka. Why fight for a mall parking
spot when Santa will be just down the
street? Warm up with some hot chocolate
and get your picture taken with the
big guy himself. There will be plenty
of other activities like a trackless train
ride, cookie decorating and even real
reindeer.
Winnetka Winter Express
9:13 a.m., Dec. 15 and 11:13 a.m.
Dec. 17, Hubbard Woods Train Station,
1065 Gage St. Choo, choo! Come
aboard the Winnetka Winter Express,
where children and parents will hop on
a magical ride from Hubbard Woods
Train Station to the North Pole. During
the trip, each little boy and girl will
receive a copy of “The Polar Express”
that park district staff will read along
onto the magical destination and a special
treat as well. Tickets are $25 for
children and $20 for adults. Register at
winpark.org.
Skate with Santa
1:40-2:55 p.m., Dec. 15, Winnetka
Ice Arena, 490 Hibbard Road. Santa
will pay a visit to the Winnetka Ice Arena
for the annual free Skate with Santa.
There will be sleigh rides on ice and
more at this Winnetka holiday tradition.
Admission is $2 and skate rental is $4.
A Jazzy Holiday
2-3 p.m., Dec. 16, Northfield Public
Library, 1785 Orchard Lane. Enjoy
vocalist Petra Van Nuis singing jazz
for the holidays. Refreshments will be
provided and registration is required at
winnetkalibrary.org.
Holiday Sing
6 p.m. Dec. 24, Winnetka Village
Green, Maple Street between Elm and
Oak streets. Join families, friends and
neighbors for the annual Holiday Sing.
Bring your singing voices and your
own candles (or flashlights) and gather
around the Village Green to sing everyone’s
favorite holiday songs.
Christmas Day Skate
Noon-2 p.m. Dec. 25, Winnetka Ice
Arena, 490 Hibbard Road. The ice arena
will open its doors for a free Christmas
Day Skate. Burn off all those holiday
goodies and try out the new skates
while skating to holiday classics.
Noon Year’s Eve Party
11 a.m.-noon, Dec. 28, Winnetka
Public Library, 768 Oak St. Ring in
2019 at our annual Noon Year’s Eve
Party! Crafts, games, and a kid-friendly
toast are all part of the festivities as we
ring in the New Year at noon. Activities
are geared towards families with children
9 and younger, though all-ages are
invited to attend.