Christmastime in Palos nears

Festive holiday events at library Dec. 5

by Kevin Olsen
staff reporter

As Thanksgiving comes and goes, the focus quickly turns to the Christmas holiday season.

The Palos Heights Public Library will kick start the holiday season with its fifth annual Christmastime in Palos celebration next Saturday, Dec. 5, as friends and neighbors get together to celebrate the holidays.

The holiday gathering, boutique and more will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the library, 12501 S. 71st Ave.

All patrons and residents are invited for gourmet refreshments, music, boutique shopping, a silent auction and children’s programs. Admission is free for the fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Library.

“It gets better every year,” said Bill Poore, chairman of the event.

About 500 people attended last year’s celebration and Administrative Librarian Elaine Savage expects a similar turnout this year.

The Palos Heights tree lighting ceremony will be held the night prior for an entire weekend of holiday events. The tree lighting will be at the fire station at 123rd Street and Harlem Avenue. Children will have an opportunity to visit with Santa.

Guests entering the library will be greeted by members of the Palos Village Players dressed as characters from the era of Charles Dickens. The Southwest Symphony Trio will play classical holiday sounds throughout the event near the entrance of the library.

Local vendors will form a marketplace, selling their wares in the Noel Community Room. There will be nine vendors this year, with all of them residing in Palos Heights, Palos Park and Worth.

“You will be able to fill an entire Christmas list in the meeting room,” Poore said.

Poore said it is a one-stop event for fun, shopping and visiting with neighbors and friends.

Sew Different will be on hand selling embroidered and imprinted sweatshirts and sports team wreathes. Residents Teri Starosta and Kathy Jasinski will have art photography greeting cards, matted photos, framed photos and “altered domino necklaces.” Guests can purchase American Girl doll clothes, quilted holiday gifts and beaded jewelry inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright designs.

Palos Heights resident Karen Skocik will sell garden stakes with glass globes and cake and cookie pedestals. Worth resident Kim Stubbs will be selling quilted table runners and holiday fabric gifts. The vendor Stampin’ Up will offer handcrafted greeting cards, bookmarks and other stamped items.

The library will be selling Christmas books and coffee table books.

For the children, Palos Park resident Page Domikaitis will be selling handmade stuffed animals and children’s toys.

Upstairs in the youth department, a magician will perform at 11:30 a.m. and face painting will be available throughout the morning.

Children may also create ornaments during a tree-trimming party. Each child may make two ornaments, one to adorn the library tree and one for the tree at home. Refreshments will be served.

The annual holiday celebration always features the “golden tones” of the city’s elected officials, but this year there will also be a performance from the Children’s Choir from Life Church of Chicagoland. The choir will perform at 10:30 and 11:15 a.m. in the youth department. It will also sing in the main lobby before the elected officials take the stage.

In what has quickly become a tradition for Christmastime in Palos, Mayor Bob Straz and the aldermen of the City Council will lead the singing of Christmas carols, starting at 11 a.m. Every child will receive a jingle bell.

The Friends of the Library will hold a silent auction of collectable books with most of them being coffee table and specialty books. The bidding will begin at 9 a.m.; winners will be announced by 12:45 p.m. All proceeds will support the library.

Additional parking is available at Palos Evangelical Lutheran Church, 12424 S. 71st Court, and St. Alexander Church, 7025 W 126th St.

This is part of the November 26, 2009 online edition of The Regional.

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