The Chicago Traveler

Santa’s on his way! Have you been naughty or nice? When I was a kid, I would often be so excited about Santa’s arrival that I couldn’t sleep. And then I’d be worried that he passed me by already because I wasn’t sleeping!
Now, with modern technology and the help of NORAD, you can find out exactly when Santa will be coming to Chicago. Check out NORAD Tracks Santa 2007, and you’ll know just the right time to set out the milk and cookies.

Photo credit: Steve Woods, NORAD Tracks Santa

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One of my favorite things about this time of year is seeing all the beautiful holiday displays around the city. Not only do people dress up their homes, but many of the city’s attractions are stunningly dressed in lights. You can’t help but get in the holiday spirit when seeing these twinkling lights.
• Brookfield Zoo: Want to see some real reindeer? Get up early on Saturday or Sunday, and you and the kids can have breakfast with Santa at the Brookfield Zoo. After your meal, say hello to the animals, including the reindeer, polar bears, and penguins. At night, the …read more

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• Follow a trail of flour, chalk, and toilet paper on the Sixth Annual Great Chicago Anthrax Scare/Santa Hat Run. This four-mile run (for $44) includes a Santa cap, a hazmat suit, and four hours of food and open bar with the Chicago Hash House Harriers afterward. Meet at the Hidden Shamrock by 2 p.m. (Dec 15)
• Aunt Mabel gave you an ugly-as-sin holiday sweater last year. Here’s your opportunity to finally enjoy it. The Second Annual Fugly Sweater Bar Crawl begins at Blarney Stone at 2 p.m. and makes its way through Wrigleyville ‘til 12 midnight. Call for details …read more

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You know Dasher, and Dancer, and Prancer, and Vixen,
Comet, and Cupid, and Donder, and Blitzen
But do you recall
the most famous reindeer of all?
The beloved Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer may reside at the North Pole now, but he was originally a Chicagoan!
The Chicago-based Montgomery Ward company (the very first office was at the corner of Clark and Kinzie Streets) had been buying and giving away coloring books for Christmas every year, and it was decided that creating their own book would save money. So in 1939, Robert L. May was assigned to come up with a Christmas story they could give …read more

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• Join the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement at Shikago Restaurant for their 2007 Holiday Party. Enjoy cocktails and modern Asian cuisine, all while taking in the beautiful city views. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door. A $5 discount will be given at the door to those who donate professional apparel. (Dec 7)
• Want to support a Democratic candidate? RSVP for Change Rocks, a concert for Senator Barack Obama at the Riviera Theatre. Performers include Jeff Tweedy, Stephan Jenkins, and Jill Sobule. (Dec 7)
• The fifth annual Winter Arts and Crafts Expo at the Evanston Art …read more

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Celebrate the reopening of the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in its new facility at the Grand Opening Gala Benefit, including cocktails, dinner, and entertainment. (Nov 29)
The annual World of Chocolate benefit for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago is held in commemoration of World AIDS Day. Guests will sample scrumptious chocolate creations from many of Chicago’s finest restaurants, caterers, and chocolatiers. (Nov 29)
Bayside, an alternative rock band from Queens, New York, performs at the House of Blues, while Clay Aiken, the American pop singer of American Idol fame, sings at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan. (Nov 29)
Sample some of the …read more

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