Search Results for: blog christmas in chicago

Amazing Christmas Surprises

Is there any better Christmas gift than a healthy baby born just hours before the most celebrated day of the year? How about two healthy babies born to the same family just a few hours apart during the height of the holiday season? In what’s being called one of the most incredible Christmas surprises since the Immaculate Conception, a mother and daughter, plus twin sisters are marveling at the timing of their respective labors. In Chicago, 35-year-old Jessica Rotter was lending moral support to her 17-year-old daughter, Briana Guerrero, as the teen prepared to give birth at a suburban hospital … Continue reading →

How Not to Travel with Kids This Christmas

I’ve had my share of travel nightmares flying back and forth from Chicago to Hawaii with my daughter. While our mishaps make for funny blogs, I would prefer experiencing incident-free trips. Then again, even the shortest vacations with children can lead to high drama, which is why most parents spend countless hours researching and planning the best ways to avoid meltdowns while on the road or in the air. Believe me; you can not over-prepare when it comes traveling with kids. It’s a lesson parents from North Carolina learned the hard way this week. When Jason and Kathy Fickes of … Continue reading →

Scrooge Lives in Chicago

My 7-year-old daughter truly believes there is a Santa Claus, and I would like to keep it that way for, oh, the next… 30 years. If you have other ideas on how Barbie’s Three-Story Dream Townhouse magically appears (fully assembled) at the foot of a lopsided Fraser Fir on Christmas morning, keep them to yourself. I’m talking to you Robin Robinson. Recently, the FOX Chicago news anchor took it upon her to dash the dreams of Santa-loving kids by declaring that the jolly ol’ gift bearer was no more real than a herd of pastel-colored unicorns. Robinson’s self-absorbed remarks came … Continue reading →

Is Technology Messing with Christmas Traditions?

Just how tech savvy is Santa anyway? Does the big guy in the red suit really communicate via a small smartphone? Are traditional paper letters to the North Pole on the brink of extinction? Are PDFs and instant messages the preferred method of sending one’s Christmas wish list to Jolly ol’ St. Nick? Say it ain’t so. Call me old-fashioned, stodgy, or a stalwart traditionalist, but I’m not a fan of the litany of new high-tech ways kids can communicate with Santa Claus. I don’t want my daughter emailing Santa, nor do I want her faxing, tweeting, Skyping, or texting … Continue reading →

End of the Year Travel to Chicago

I realize some parts of the country are just barely showing signs of spring, but there are some people who are already making their travel plans for the fall and winter. (I know because I am related to some of them.) With the price of gas nearing record highs and the cost of air travel soaring it might not be a bad idea to secure tickets while the prices are still reasonable. I have always maintained that Chicago is a destination for all seasons. No matter what time of the year you plan to visit there is something to keep … Continue reading →

More Post-Christmas Travel Destinations for Families

How do you plan to keep your kids busy during their Christmas vacation? Some of us are relying on the new toys from Santa to keep our tikes occupied, but what you might not know is that there are a slew of family-friendly resorts across the nation offering incredible deals right now. Think about the wonderful family memories you could make by spending a holiday weekend at one of the following resorts, and the best part… all that family fun won’t leave you penniless in the New Year. COLORADO Copper Mountain, Colorado ranks as one of the nation’s most kid-friendly … Continue reading →

Post-Christmas Travel Destinations for Families

In less than 48 hours the Christmas gifts will be opened and the mountains of wrapping paper will be disposed of… then what? Most kids are out of school until the first week of January, so why not beat the cabin fever blues by taking advantage of the travel deals being offered by family-friendly resorts around the country. Resorts are ramping up for post-Christmas family getaways and whether you live on the East Coast of the United States, the West Coast or somewhere in between there are numerous themed packages and special offers to help keep the holiday spirit alive … Continue reading →

Post-Holiday Travel Deals in Chicago

There’s no shortage of holiday happenings in Chicago, but once the Christmas trees come down the Midwestern metropolis gets a bit quiet (relatively speaking). Which is why many area hotels are offering post-holiday deals to lure visitors downtown. I happen to love Chicago and have been there often enough to know that the following bargains are worth taking advantage of. Take a look at these outstanding deals, which are effective through January and then peruse the links that follow them. Each article provides details on spectacular Chicago attractions and proves that these hotel deals (at three-star properties in the heart … Continue reading →

Christmastime in the Windy City

Consider yourself lucky if your holiday travel plans bring you anywhere near Chicago in the next few weeks. Okay, the traffic is nothing to cheer about, but the spectacular holiday events and attractions the Windy City offers during the month of December are virtually unparalleled. I listed some of my favorites in a previous blog and now I am back with more. Here are a few additional must-see holiday events you won’t want to miss: Christkindlmarket After a few minutes strolling around you may think you’ve been transported to the German Christmas Market in Nuremberg. But, alas, you’re still in … Continue reading →

Christmastime in Chicago

I grew up in a very small town on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Which means as a child I was not exposed to the holiday pomp and pageantry displayed in many major metropolitan areas. However, in the years since moving from my hometown in Hawaii I have tried to make up for lost time by frequenting large cities during the holidays. I’ve been to New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Dallas, but without a doubt my favorite city to visit during the month of December is Chicago. Chicago is an incredible place to visit year … Continue reading →