Christmas Events for 2009 in Oak Park, Illinois

In addition to wonderful Christmas events down in the Loop, there are also December events to enjoy right here in Oak Park, Illinois, especially if you have children.

December 4th - December 6th, 2009

The arrival of Santa in a horse-drawn carriage at Scoville Park to light our tree on Friday night will be the kickoff of the Vintage Village Fayre, a weekend-long holiday celebration presented by the (Oak Park) Avenue Business District featuring beautifully decorated shops, food and activities (including a chance to be photographed with Santa on Saturday). Friday night's festivities will include Santa leading us in Christmas carols in a sing-along with the OPRF (Oak Park - River Forest) High School Chorus. Admission is free but the Hot Cocoa for Charity in the park has an ominous tone about it - methinks they will want us to pay for that. If so, it will probably be affordable and for a good cause, including the fun of enjoying a hot beverage outdoors on a wintery night in a holiday atmosphere.

December 5th, 2009

The beautiful, historic Cheney Mansion will be the scene of Breakfast, Lunch and Tea with Santa. This event is a tad "upscale"(in my book) with admission per adult and any age child being $20 per person but that price includes a chance to meet Santa and his elves, visit with the great old man himself, receive a gift bag, see a model train layout and enjoy live music. New toys will be collected for local charities. Tickets are not refundable or exchangeable for a different seating, children must be accompanied by a paying adult AND you have to bring your own camera to take a photo with Santa! This event may not be for families on a strict budget but from my personal experience of being a guest at the Mansion, I can testify that this "Breakfast with Santa" will probably be a special experience you may not want to miss. (Adoring Grandparents, please take note!)

There will be 115 guests per seating which will include either breakfast at 9 a.m. (Code # 461155-01), lunch at 11:30 a.m. (Code # 461155-02) or Tea at 2:30 p.m. (Code # 461155-03). The Cheney Mansion is located at 220 N. Euclid Avenue. (For further details regarding this or the following event, phone 708-383-2612 or www.visitoakpark.com and search for "Event" under the month of December.

December 7th - December 10th

For those of us who may not be able to afford "Breakfast with Santa," all is not lost. From Monday through Thursday, there will be a Holiday Open House at the same Cheney Mansion from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. featuring beautiful decorations and light refreshments. Guests are asked to bring a food item to donate to the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry. Other than that the admission is free!

December 12th and 19th, 2009

Free tours of Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park Home and Studio which will be decorated for a Victorian Christmas. The tours will be designed for children and presented by especially trained Fifth through Tenth Grade students who will focus on the historical Wright family Christmas celebrations and traditions. Adults can enjoy this too, in fact an adult must accompany accompany children under the age of eight.

The 30-Minute Victorian Christmas Tours take place continuously from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (For further details, phone 708-848-1976 or go to www.gowright.org.

A Last Bit of Advice Regarding Christmas Events

Keep an eye on the local papers (the Oak Leaves or Oak Park Journal) in the next few weeks for news about Christmas events being presented by other organizations. Your own church or congregation may be presenting a much more affordable "Breakfast with Santa."

Sources:

Website cited above
Local newspapers
Personal experience