December Festivities in Chicago

The holiday after Thanksgiving, known as December, offers many annual festivals and festivities to participate in. For those in the Windy City, also known as Chicago, whether local resident or out-of-town visitor, the festivities range from the simple to the unusual.

Although technically not December, the festivities of December begin in November with the City of Chicago Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony in Daley Plaza with its adjacent Christkindlmarket, an open-air Bavarian "village" market with handmade glass ornaments, accessories and gifts, a creation of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest. Food and drinks are available, as is live entertainment, until December 24.

At approximately the same time in late November, there is also another festivity that occurs in Chicago which locals think represents the beginning of the holiday season. It is the placing of the wreaths on the lion statues that flank the entrance to the Art Institute of Chicago, located on Michigan Avenue, just south of Millenium Park. During the month following the placing of the wreaths, musical celebrations occur in Millenium Park and an outdoor ice rink located there is open to the public. Skate rentals are also available.

For those who prefer indoor ice skating, the LaSalle Bank Winter Wonderfest at Chicago's Navy Pier Festival Hall, which also has a carousel and hundreds of decorated trees, in addition to Navy Pier's ferris wheel, is a stop to consider. Admission is free, but there are fees for activities, which include arts and crafts. If the visit to Navy Pier occurs early in December, it may be possible to witness the annual delivery of over 1,000 Christmas trees from northern Michigan by the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw, a 100-year-old tradition.