West Newsmagazine 11-27-19

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November 27, 2019
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
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appeared. During the Festival of Light, St.
Lucia is seen throughout Bishop Hill in her
white robe and candle crown. The Festival
of Light begins Dec. 13. The lighting of the
Park Christmas Tree is followed by various
concerts throughout the village. Festivities
continue the following day with more concerts
and an old fashion barn dance.
A trip to Bishop Hill would not be complete
without a visit to Julmarknad, the
Swedish Christmas Market. Julmarknad
is open Nov. 29 and 30 and Dec. 1 and 8.
Visitors can shop for handmade items, gifts
Enjoying a Swedish Christmas at Bishop Hill
[Photo courtesy of EnjoyIllinois.com]
and fresh baked Swedish spice cookies.
But, keep a look out for the Tomten and
Julbock. Tomten are Swedish elves that
can be caught looking through windows
and peeking around corners in their red
and grey outfits. Julbock is the Christmas
goat, a trickster that roams the village to
the delight of visitors.
Joyeux Noël, Ste. Genevieve
Santa Claus uses a different name when
visiting Ste. Genevieve.
Père Noël, as he is known, is welcomed
each December in the historic French
village, where the annual holiday is celebrated
with French colonial music, food
and crafts.
Le Réveillon, held each year at the
Felix Valle House State Historic Site in the
heart of the old town, is a favorite tradition
shared by visitors and residents alike.
Le Réveillon is a feast held after midnight
mass and featuring 13 desserts – one for
Christ and one for each of his disciples.
Most famous among those desserts might
be the Buche de Noël or Yule Log.
During Le Réveillon, on Dec. 7, costumed
guides present early 19th century
French Christmas customs at the Valle
House along with music and refreshments.
Ste. Genevieve’s Holiday Christmas
Festival is scheduled the same day as
the Valle House’s celebration. Catch the
Festival’s Christmas parade and sidewalk
carolers. Stroll the streets and admire the
decorations before ducking into the shops,
churches or other historic sites to catch
free concerts or sample French croquignoles
– powdered sugar
doughnuts.
Plan a trip back to Ste.
Genevieve on Dec. 14 for
its annual Christmas Fair
and Santa Bash, held at
the Community Center.
For those looking for
a non-traditional holiday
light show, plan a trip to
the nearby Crown Valley
Tiger Sanctuary. Each
December, the grounds
are lit for a unique holiday
experience. Afterward, sip
hot chocolate, decorate cookies and try
your hand at seasonal crafts. Tiger Holiday
Light Tours are offered for three days only:
Dec. 19, 20 and 21.
Finding Santa in Santa Claus, Indiana
When Santa isn’t at the North Pole you’ll
find him at his American address, Santa
Claus, Indiana. A place to shop, explore
and enjoy all things Christmas, all year
long – even if the town’s namesake is a
part-time resident.
Santa Claus, located in southern Indiana,
was originally was named Santa Fe
before changing its name in the 1850s.
That decision proved to be a break for the
U.S. Postal Service, which in 1914 began
directing Santa’s letters addressed to the
The historic Valle House in Ste. Genevieve
[Photo courtesy of VisitSteGen.com]
North Pole to Indiana. Mail for Santa still
arrives daily. In December, that delivery
swells to over 400,000 pieces compared to
the usual 13,000 pieces each month.
Thousands of cards and other holiday
mail are brought by visitors to Santa Claus
to be postmarked. If you need to write Santa
a letter, stop in at the old post office inside
the Santa Claus Museum and Village. The
post office is easy to find. It’s right next to
town’s iconic 22-foot-tall Santa statue.
Santa Claus’ annual Christmas Celebration
extends to nearby sites throughout
Spencer County. Two jolly destinations,
located minutes from downtown, are Lake
Rudolph’s 12-mile light display and the
Candlelight Walk at the Lincoln Boyhood
National Memorial on Dec. 21.
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