Holiday

The sizzle of sausages perking up your ears, the aroma of roasted nuts tickling your nostrils, the strudel melting in your mouth and the hot-spiced wine warming your insides can transport your senses to the holidays in Germany. But you can experience the joys of Christkindlmarkt right here in Illinois. Belleville, Carlinville, Chicago and Naperville […]

Christmas Card LaneNov 29-Dec 30. An outdoor exhibit/competition comprised of larger-than-life “cards” created by local artists and groups based on the theme “Holiday Season Around the World.” Hosted by the Decatur Area Arts Council. decaturarts.org. Downtown Decatur. Holidays at the White HouseNov 29-Jan 6, 9am-5pm Mon-Sun. Featuring cards, documents and photos from Lyndon Johnson, Richard […]

Military families often suffer from isolation, and the problem is even more pervasive at the holidays. Here’s how one couple went above and beyond to provide love, peace of mind and a few good meals to a military family in need of support. When Army Captain Chase Burnett was relocated to Fort Campbell in Kentucky, […]

We humans are social creatures, and nothing highlights our need for human interaction and goodwill like the holiday season. That’s why many shoppers prefer to patronize local stores, where a staffer might greet them by name, and help them select the perfect gift. For some, that experience is worth paying a few dollars more, even […]

We’re moved to express our gratitude to those in need and those who have made a positive impact on our community. And many times, we feel the urge to do something that goes beyond a spoken “thank you.” For some, that involves volunteerism and service of their own. For many others it involves donating to […]

Tiffany Roe and Litina Carnes looked at their collection of books that had outgrown their houses and started brainstorming ways to share their love of books. “We didn’t just want to donate them and have them resold. So we said, let’s find a way to give them to ones in need,” Tiffany explains. Litina adds, […]

The holiday season brings many celebrations and traditions to enjoy, including gift-giving. Caitlin Huth, a University of Illinois Extension educator and registered dietitian, shares five healthy holiday food gifts this season. Gift jars. “Instead of cookie and brownie mixes in jars, try healthier mixes as gifts this year. Noodle soup mix with whole-grain noodles and […]

Books with an Illinois or Springfield connection make great holiday gifts, whether you’re looking for something for children, photographers, cooks, Lincoln buffs or sports enthusiasts. There are books that inspire, instruct and inform. There are ones that tell a story, and ones that take you on a trip back in time. Local book stores and museum […]

It isn’t always about what you receive or how much money was spent, but about the memories attached to a gift that sometimes ranks it up there with gifts to remember. As the holidays approach it is fun to think back about what gifts might have made a lasting impression, and what gifts we can […]

East Peoria claims its Festival of Lights is “one of the largest, lighted nighttime festivals in the Midwest.” While such a boast is difficult to prove, visitors will encounter enough colorful, twinkling wattage to satisfy even the Grinchiest among them. The festival, which runs nightly through Dec. 31, features a drive-through park filled with displays […]

The tranquil lower Illinois River valley, roughly the 71-mile stretch from Meredosia to where the river meets the Mississippi near the southern end of Calhoun County, belies its more turbid past. In the last 50,000 years, two fluvial episodes particularly affected the formation of the river valley seen today. Prior to about 20,000 years ago, […]