By Philip Vidal
The holidays for many are about perpetuating traditions. One of the favorite holiday traditions from my childhood was to go downtown with my family, to press my nose against the holiday window displays along State Street at Marshall Field & Company’s flagship store. Another holiday tradition for many is to dine in the store’s Walnut Room restaurant, gaze at the annual Great Tree, and feast on Mrs. Hering’s original chicken pot pie. One of the episodes in the latest series of WTTW’s “Chicago Stories” is “Chicago Stories: Marshall Field’s” airing December 3, 19 and 20.
The Marshall Field’s Walnut Room Dining Area located at the former Marshall Field’s, now Macy’s, on State Street. Photo by Macy’s Restaurants.
I still call the Willis Tower the Sears Tower, and 875 North Michigan Avenue is still the Hancock to me. When Federated bought the Marshall Field’s stores twenty years ago, they rebranded them as Macy’s. I still have trouble calling the Field’s State Street store Macy’s, so I am delighted that Macy’s has renamed the restaurant “The Marshall Field’s Walnut Room.” When the South Grill Room (later renamed The Walnut Room) opened in 1907, it was the first restaurant in a department store, and it served both men and women. My German-born paternal grandfather was a chef in the 1930s and 1940s at the men-only Grill Room in Carson, Pirie & Scott’s flagship State Street store.
Christkindlmarket is now open in Daley Plaza, Aurora and returning again this year in Wrigleyville. Photo courtesy of Enjoy Illinois.
I think my grandfather would be pleased that traditional German holiday offerings, such as Glühwein, sausages and potato pancakes, are available just a block west of State Street at the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza, through December 24. The other two open-air German-style Christkindlmarkets are in Wrigleyville through December 31, and Aurora through December 24.
Visiting the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry’s 83rd annual Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light is itself a holiday tradition, and the exhibition explores the traditions of Christmas, Diwali, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, plus Chinese New Year, Ramadan, St. Lucia’s Day and more, through January 5, 2026. See one of those traditions first hand: the annual St. Lucia Celebration hosted by the Swedish American Museum is December 13.
Celebrate Scotland at Chicago Scots’ 180th annual Saint Andrew’s Day Gala, December 6 at the Palmer House. Photo by Chicago Scots.
Billed as Chicago’s longest-running black-tie event and hosted by Illinois’ oldest non-profit, the Chicago Scots’ 180th annual Saint Andrew’s Day Gala is December 6 at the Palmer House and celebrates Scottish traditions.
Attend the Chicago original, live interactive show of “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!” at the American Blues Theater, now through December 28. Photo credit to Michael Brosilow.
December is traditionally debutante season. Last December, the Gene Siskel Film Center screened Whit Stillman’s quietly beautiful “Metropolitan” (1990) set during debutante season in Manhattan. This December the center is presenting “Golden Boy: A Robert Redford Retrospective,” December 2-31. The line-up includes “The Sting” (1973) on December 10 and 13, starring Redford and set in Chicago. Redford was also a director. He directed “Ordinary People” (1980) set in Lake Forest, which is one of the Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV’s four favorite films. The others are: “Life is Beautiful,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and “The Sound of Music,” the last two being holiday favorites. And a holiday tradition for many is to attend the American Blues Theater’s annual production of “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!” from the Frank Capra film, through December 28, and/or the Music Box Theatre’s annual “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s® The Sound of Music Sing-a-Long.” This season’s last two performances are December 3 and 4.
Two local talents come home for the holidays. Chicago-born actor (“Chicago,” “Boogie Nights,”) and musician, John C. Reilly performs his “Mister Romantic” vaudeville shows at Steppenwolf Theatre, December 4-7. The first three shows sold out fast, so Steppenwolf added a fourth. Friends have a holiday tradition of attending one of Lake Forest native and musician Andrew Bird’s annual “Gezilligheid” concerts (December 8-12) at Fourth Presbyterian Church, which also sell out quickly.
Singing, caroling, and music are all part of holiday traditions. A holiday tradition for many is to attend a performance of Händel’s “Messiah.” The Apollo Chorus of Chicago is the city’s oldest musical organization and, as part of their 154th season, the chorus performs Händel’s “Messiah” at Holy Name Cathedral (which is celebrating its 150th anniversary) on December 13, and at Alice Millar Chapel in Evanston on December 14. A tradition within a tradition is to stand during the “Hallelujah” chorus!
Uniting Voices singers from across Chicago perform at the Winter Glow Concert, December 6 at the Chicago Symphony Center. Photo credit to Kyle Flubacker Photography.
Featuring singers from all over Chicago, Uniting Voices Chicago’s “Winter Glow Concert” at Chicago Symphony Center is December 6 (10:30 am and 2:00 pm performances). I’ve always enjoyed attending one of Music of the Baroque’s annual “Holiday Brass and Choral Concerts.” I have my ticket to the performance at St. Michael’s Church on December 19. Other performances are in River Forest (December 18), Winnetka (December 20) and Evanston (December 21). I’ve also enjoyed Chicago a cappella’s annual “Holidays a cappella” concert. This year’s performances are in Chicago (December 5), Naperville (December 7), Evanston (December 13), and Oak Park (December 14). The group also performs a “Warm for the Holidays” concert at the historic Glessner House on December 11.
Returning this holiday season for a limited run! “Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol” features handmade puppets, immersive sound design and a live score to the beloved “A Christmas Carol” with a fun twist at Studebaker Theater, December 12-28. Photo credit to Jenn Udoni, Franco Images.
Like Händel’s “Messiah,” watching a performance of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is a holiday tradition for many. For a non-traditional “Christmas Carol” featuring hundreds of handmade puppets, head to the Studebaker Theater for “Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol,” which returns there December 12-28. For something very non-traditional, but still with a bow to Christmas, watch the world premiere of David Cerda’s “The Real Housewives of The North Pole,” a holiday Hell in a Handbag Productions’ parody at The Clutch, through January 4, 2026.
While Hell in a Handbag Productions is known as the “gold standard of camp,” the largely self-taught architect (composer and musician) Bruce Goff was described as the “Michaelangelo of kitsch” by critic Charles Jencks. Goff’s work is the subject of “Bruce Goff: Material Worlds,” an exhibition running December 20-March 29, 2026 at the Art Institute of Chicago. Many years ago, I went on a Chicago Architecture Center bus tour of the Goff-designed Sam and Ruth Van Sickle Ford House home in Aurora and the Mies van der Rohe-designed Farnsworth House. The differences were striking. As the name of the exhibition implies, Goff used non-traditional materials. I recall seeing fragments of recycled colored glass and a wall made of coal in the Van Sickle Ford house. Apparently, Goff also used astroturf, cellophane, goose feathers, cellophane, and sequins in his fantastically-shaped architecture. The minimalist Mies is known for rectilinear shapes in steel, bronze, glass and marble. While at the Art Institute, I’m also going to make a holiday pilgrimage to see the Neapolitan Crèche, through January 5, 2026.
Celebrating 50 years! Lillstreet Art Center celebrates its 50th year as a creative workspace for all artists in the community. Their 50th Anniversary Holiday Party on December 5 features live music, open studios, a gallery show and more!
Gift giving is a long-standing holiday tradition. I’m usually stymied, but there are lots of holiday shopping options to help me that also support local artists and artisans. The 24th One of Kind Holiday Show, at THE MART, December 4-7, features more than 600 artists and artisans. Celebrate Lillstreet Art Center’s golden anniversary at its 50th Anniversary Holiday Party on December 5. The party kicks off the Lillstreet Gallery holiday show and sale, The Holiday Table, featuring the wares of over 50 craft artists from Lillstreet and around the U.S., through December 31. The Cornelia Arts Building’s Open Studios event on December 5-6 features more than 70 local artists and artisans. The Hyde Park Art Center’s annual School & Studio Sale and Fundraiser runs December 6-21. Unique handmade works including ceramics, prints, textiles, and more are on offer there, and 25% of the proceeds support the center’s Open Arts Programs.
Have a Happy New Year with several activities around the city including a countdown to midnight with New Year’s Eve fireworks on the Chicago River. Photo by Choose Chicago.
Chicago’s traditional New Year’s Eve Countdown returns this year with events and fireworks along the Chicago River downtown, as well as something new. For the first time in 55 years, “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” will be broadcast from Chicago on ABC.
All the best in the New Year!
Dates, times, locations and availability are subject to change.
