Libertyville puts on a Dickens of a Holiday every December for two Saturdays, Dec. 2 and 9.
No, really, that’s the name of the holiday event sponsored by MainStreet Libertyville. The annual event includes family events such as photos with Santa, a holiday shop where children can buy gifts for their families and Victorian Tea.
MainStreet Libertyville Executive Director Pam Hume can’t even remember how long the organization has sponsored these events, which are completely run by volunteers.
“Well, MainStreet Libertyville has been here for 27 years, so at least 20 years,” she said. “We get lots of families who bring their kids and eventually their grandkids.”
Hume said these holiday events “absolutely” raise the profile of downtown Libertyville. “The spirit of MainStreet, our mantra, is go back and say ‘please help and support your communities.’ You’re going back to people you want to support.”
Ideas for these events were dreamed up by volunteers. “It takes a volunteer to come in and say, ‘I’ve got an idea.’ And we say, ‘Great! Will you help us with it?'” Hume said. “And each year we look at how can we improve or tweak these events in a different way. For some of our volunteers they have a certain niche and do that.”
For the Children’s Holiday Shoppe, a volunteer came up with the idea and buys the gifts. “She’s been doing this for 10 years and we love her for it,” Hume said, adding the Children’s Holiday Shoppe has been running for 22 years.
The community room at Petranek’s Pharmacy is decorated like Santa’s workshop. Parents stay outside and volunteers — or junior high and high school “elves” — help the kids shop and they wrap and tag the gifts for them. “Our volunteer watches to see what’s popular with children and what they like,” Hume said.
Gifts range from $1 to $7 and the elves help the kids shop. “You’ll hear the story of ‘I think Dad would really like this teddy bear’ and the elves might ask, ‘Wait, is that something that you really want for you because you like it?’ It’s nice to watch the children and they put a lot of thought into it. Then they take the gifts out of the store and put them right under the tree.”
Children’s Holiday Shoppe is held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 2 and 9 at Petranek’s Pharmacy, 426 N. Milwaukee Ave.
The Victorian Tea was started by a volunteer but the event itself at St. Lawrence Episcopal Church is run by a business, High Tea with Geri in Long Grove. “She has her servers in Victorian dress and they serve scones and finger sandwiches and regular tea service,” Hume said. “The church is set up to be very pretty. The tables are beautifully set and then the ladies bring out the tea. Some make it a tradition. It’s a good way to start out the holidays with an afternoon of tea and conversation.” Students from Libertyville High School also play background music.
Victorian Tea is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 2 and 9 at St. Lawrence Episcopal Church, 125 W. Church St. Tickets are $30.
Every year Santa has a line of children in Cook Park waiting to see him and Mrs. Claus starting at 10 a.m., Hume said. “Our Santa has been doing this for 13 years,” she said, adding that Santa doesn’t take a break and will stay until every child is talked to.
Hume said she couldn’t even guess how many children see Santa over the two Saturdays in December. “Hundreds of kids. Lots of Libertyville kids. Even one of our former Mrs. Clauses comes in.”
Photos with Santa is from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 2 and 9 at Cook Park, 413 N. Milwaukee Ave.
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MainStreet Libertyville puts on 50 events and three fundraisers per year, but Hume said Dickens of a Holiday is “quite a tradition for a lot of people.”
Each holiday season about 75 volunteers help MainStreet Libertyville with each Dickens of a Holiday event. “We get lots of volunteers for those two weeks and it’s a busy time for everyone and they still help out,” Hume said, adding that volunteers gave more than 4,000 hours of their time last year.
“From the Boy Scout troops that set up and take down the tea to the wrappers at the Children’s Holiday Shoppe, we have volunteers from seniors on down to children,” Hume said. “As they grow up and learn to give to others we hope they come back and give back to the community. Volunteering makes you feel like a part of the community.”
Shonda Talerico Dudliceck is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
Have breakfast with the big guy
Breakfast with Santa is one of the more popular events among Lambs Farm participants, who have developmental disabilities.
“They help with the activities in the Visitors Center, greet families and some participants’ jobs are in the restaurant year-round, so it’s an exciting time for them at work,” said Marisa LaBello, communications coordinator at Lambs Farm in Libertyville. “Others attend the breakfast with their own families as well.”
Children can enjoy brunch with Santa and can also choose a holiday gift for themselves and make a picture frame or sand art ornaments, and decorate a gingerbread man.
“It’s a fun family event that gives the community an opportunity to interact with our participants,” LaBello said. “
Breakfast with Santa at the Magnolia Cafe & Bakery at Lambs Farm has been going on for the past two decades and has turned into a family tradition for many.
“There are some families who brought their children when they were babies and now the entire family attends or volunteers at the event,” LaBello said. “It has turned into a family tradition for many and Lambs Farm is elated and honored to be part of that.”
Breakfast with Santa has seatings at 9, 10:30 a.m. and noon Dec. 9, 10, 16, 17 at: Magnolia Cafe & Bakery, Lambs Farm, 14245 W. Rockland Road. Tickets are $16.95 and $7.95 for children 23 months and younger. Call 847-362-5050 or go to www.lambsfarm.org/marquee-events/breakfast-with-santa/.
— Shonda Talerico Dudlicek
Dickens of a Holiday
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 2 and 9
Where: downtown Libertyville
Information: 847-680-0336, www.mainstreetlibertyville.org/events/libertyville/dickens-of-a-holiday/?gde=2017-12-02