Making Spirits Bright: Daley Plaza Tree Lighting

Have you checked out Daley Plaza yet? It is literally the best way to get into the spirit of the season.  Besides grabbing some fun gifts at Chriskindlmarket, you have to stop by and admire the tree.  I did back in November when they lit the tree for the 99th time.

Daley Plaza thinks local when it comes to finding the tree.  This 64-foot tall tree is from Prospect Heights! Don’t you feel jolly and bright seeing the tree get lit? From all of the Rockit Interns–happy holidays!

-Grace Sweeney

Tags: chicago tradition, christmas, Daley Plaza, family activities in chicago, fun things to do during the holidays in chicago, Grace Sweeney, Music, tree lighting in chicago

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas: Christkindlmarket, Ice- skating, ZooLights, & A Christmas Carol!

I know what you’re thinking.  It’s too early to talk about holiday stuff.  Halloween just ended, right? Well you may not want to participate, but next thing you know, you’ll be hearing “Let it Snow” on LITE FM. In between searching for the perfect gifts for your loved ones, take a break to enjoy some Chicago holiday classics.

Christkindlmarket, November 20-December 24^th  Daley Plaza transforms into a German wonderland for a month.  Get unique gifts, eat some amazing German food (Spaten and Struedel, naturally), and meet up with Santa Claus.  Don’t forget about the tree! The 99^th Annual Tree Lighting will take place November 20^th at 5pm.

Want to mix aerobic exercise with awesome architecture? Ice-skating at Millennium Park is for you! I’ve been doing this since 2001 when it started.  It’s so much fun because it is FREE. The biggest tip is to bring your own skates. I know, you never use them, but seriously.  The line for rentals can be an hour long, so have a pair ready.  Don’t have any? A lot of thrift shops will have them this season.  Scrounge around and you’ll have them forever!

Here’s another oldie but goodie: lunch at the Walnut Room.  It really doesn’t get better having great food under the beautiful tree.  It’s something everyone in Chicago enjoys doing.  Something Chicagoans don’t like doing is waiting.  So my little tip is to not eat lunch there.  It can be a 2 hour long line on a weekend to get your hands on some of Mrs. Herring’s pot pie.  Here’s what my family likes to do: put our name in, have lunch, shop and have dessert in the afternoon.  Think about it: their desserts are the best part of their menu.  Enjoy some of their Frango cheesecake and skip the craziness!

Even the least festive person can’t say no to this next one: A Christmas Carol.  You’ll go in saying “Bah Humbug” and leave saying “God bless us, everyone!” It’s the 35^th year the Goodman has performed this classic Dickens Play.  The run starts November 17^th and ends December 29^th.

Lights! Animals! Action! Another great tradition is a little north of the Loop at the Lincoln Park Zoo.  ZooLights features warm drinks, holiday crafts, and a light show.  Get some food on Clark Street (there are so many classic restaurants…Chicago Oven and Pizza Grinder anyone?) and head over to see the amazing lights! You can see the animals too, but for some reason that darn polar bear is never out…

-Grace Rickert 

Tags: chicago, Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder, christmas, Christmas Lights, Christmas Trees, Daley Plaza, Frango, german, Goodman, Goodwill, Holiday, Holidays in Chicago, lincoln park, Lincoln Park Zoo, Loop, Macy’s Christmas Carol, Thrift stores, Unique, Village Thrift, Walnut Room, Zoo, ZooLights

Drink Your Way Through History with Chicago History Museum Pub Crawls

History is not as dull as everyone though back in high school.  Mainly because the Chicago History Museum is teaching you about Chicago through pub crawls.  Finally! Mixing education with alcohol! Plus there are several different kinds of crawls you can go on.  Let me tell you about a few of my favorites:

Thursday, November 8^th will be Pubs, Potions and Hocus Pocus.  Just because Halloween is over, doesn’t mean you can’t see some spooky stuff! Real magicians will be at each spot.  Cue me singing “I put a Spell on You.”

Come December there will be a Rat Pack Christmas on December 13th.  Feel like you’re back in the swinging sixties? Yes please! This one will obviously take you to taverns which Dean and Sammy would’ve gone to.  Hmm, I know Sinatra loved Twin Anchors, I wonder if that’s on the list.

Lastly there’s probably the most Chicago History Crawl of them all: Booze, Bars, and Bootlegging.  It’s no wonder the November 18 night is already sold out! I’ll have to wait until the 27 of January to go to speakeasies where gangsters like Moran, Capone and Dillinger went to.  I want to have fun drinking some hootch and do the Charleston.

All crawls are $25 for members and $30 for the general public. They also have private crawls, so feel free to organize one for your friends…just be sure to invite me!

-Grace Sweeney

Tags: Bar Crawl, Bootleggers, Booze Bars and Bootlegging, Brat Pack, Capone, Chicago History, Chicago History Museum, christmas, Dean Martin, Dillenger, Frank Sinatra, Hocus Pocus, Moran, Pubs Potions and Hocus Pocus, Rat Pack Christmas, Sammy Davis Jr, Speakeasies, taverns, Twin Anchors

Movie Classics and Carols at the 28th Annual Music Box Christmas Show

Take a night out of the week to go out with your family and friends to see this special Christmas tradition! This holiday season is the 28^th anniversary with the Music Box!  It all started in 1983, when an operator in Chicago shows two old holiday movies in Christmas Eve. People came out to watch these vintage movies and sing Christmas carols during their intermissions.

By this being able to keep going 27 years later you know many people have made this their favorite family holiday tradition! If you haven’t ever experienced it you should definitely make it a priority this year. When you enter the Music Box Theatre you’re greeted with a jolly hello from Santa Claus.  He even leads you in Christmas carols to classic Christmas songs. If you happen to not know the words to the carols being sung, no worries, lyrics are projected on the theatre’s screen.

The movies that are being played are White Christmas and It’s A Wonderful Life. You can see either one or stay for both! You can check out the single and double feature prices here http://bit.ly/rycwjC. Reserve your tickets today- you don’t want to miss out on this holiday event!

-Rhea Drougas

Tags: Carols, chicago, Chicago Christmas Events, christmas, It's A Wonderful Life, movies, music box theatre, Santa Claus, White Christmas

A worldly Culturally diverse Christmas at chicago's museum of science & industry!

You have til 1/3/11 to check out the amazing museum of science and industry christmas time experience where they have christmas trees decorated in all different cultural styles from italy to estonia to the philippine islands (where my mom is from!) to serbia to kenya to belize –almost everywhere! It’s called christmas around the world and holiday of lights. this yearly tradition began in 1942, by the united nations to honor the american allies during World War II, and to this day it’s loved by all!

I think it’s so cool i’m sending some facebook & twitter friends to enjoy it all on me! Follow me (by clicking facebook & twitter) and look for the giveaway in the next couple days! for more info on the exhibit visit here!

Tags: billy dec, chicago, christmas, christmas around the world, giveaway, holiday spirit

Get Into the holiday spirit with chicago's annual holiday pops concert!

one of my favorite holiday traditions is to take friends & family to see the annual Holiday Pops concert full of carols, choirs, stories, musicians.. And everything joyous & traditional about the holiday that brings back so many memories for me, as well as an all around cheerful time w/ people I enjoy! Featured performers include the Holiday Pops IX Chorus, the Randolph Street Jazz Orchestra & the Children’s Chorus of Alphonsus Academy and Center for The Arts.

The mastermind behind this festive concert is Maestro Scott Arkenberg, who also happens to be my 5-7th grade organ teacher from St. Clements (yes, I took organ lessons), and the evening is hosted by my other long time buddy nbc’s rob elgas (who I hear will be singing this year!??!). I highly recommend just pulling the trigger and bringing friends and/or family with you this Wednesday, Dec 8th at the Harris Theatre and enjoy! Tickets and more info about the concert and it’s history can be found at http://holidaypopschicago.com/index.php – I’ll see you there!

Tags: christmas, christmas concert, harris theatre, holiday pops concert, holidays, NBC, nbc 5, rob elgas, scott arkenberg, tickets

A new Chicago dog – named on Twitter!

Tags: christmas, puppy, shitzu, shorkie, twitter