Approximately 18,000 children are in Illinois Foster Care…
Continue ReadingTag: December 6

Marketplace | Hundreds of Vintage Ornaments Await at Paris Market Antiques
One of my favorite December traditions is adding…
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356. Holiday Gift Ideas & Extended Santa Hours at Barrington’s Ice House Mall & Village Shops
You don’t have to go far to find…
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345. 12 Days of ChristKindlFest Countdown DAY TWELVE: St. Nick’s Day Santa & Sunday Reindeer
We’ve reached Day 12 on our Barrington ChristKindlFest countdown. And we’re wrapping up our list of reasons not to miss the 4-day fest with reason #12, which is the fact that ChristKindlFest is the perfect place to make new family memories! Bring your cameras and your kids to the fest this weekend where you’ll find opportunities to meet St. Nickolaus in the European tradition, “jolly” Santa AND his reindeer!
To celebrate Saint Nicholas Day, the traditional Saint Nickolaus will be visiting families at ChristKindlFest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 6th. And this isn’t your ordinary St. Nick. He’s also known as Phillip Wenz and, when he’s not at ChristKindlFest, you’ll find him visiting with children at Santa’s Village.
In the German and most European cultures St. Nickolaus only appears on his saints day on the eve of Dec 5 and 6th. He only gives gifts of sweets. He does not appear any other time. Also note the attire which Phillip purchased in Europe. He even went to have it blessed in Italy.
As a four-year-old child, Phillip donned his first Santa outfit. By the time he was fourteen he was in his first parade and at the ripe old age of twenty-three, he became the year-round Santa Claus for the iconic Santa’s Village theme park in Dundee, Illinois. It is an association he has now had for nearly 30 years.…

332. ChristKindlFest: The Making of a New Barrington Tradition
The first annual ChristKindlFest winter market, beer and…
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331. Five Reasons to Beat the Holiday Heft with CrossFit Barrington
Each holiday season, many of us start off…
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330. Health Beat: Six Tips for Curing a Holiday Hangover
A sip of bubbly here, a glass of…
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306. Great Gifts: Pick a Pen at TT Patton Fine Stationery
If you’re like me, you probably haven’t even started your holiday shopping yet. Hopefully for you, you’re not like me! But in case you could use a few suggestions for great gifts this year, I’ve been putting together a list of ideas for items you can purchase locally. The guide is called Great Gifts of Barrington and it’s sponsored, in part, by the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce, a partner in building business success.
If you’d like to find a gift that makes a lasting impression, you don’t have to look any further than TT Patton, the fine stationery and writing store at 123 Station Street in downtown Barrington.
When it comes to the art of fine writing, TT Patton owner, Theresa Patton, is an expert and someone you should meet. She’s a pro when it comes to technology and she fires off texts and tweets with flying fingers.
But the cool thing about Theresa is that she truly values taking the time to communicate the old fashioned way. Her store is filled with items that encourage a return to writing meaningful messages, by hand, and on beautiful stationery.
So when I asked Theresa for one gift idea that can be purchased in her store this year, a special Vincent Van Gogh-inspired pen she’s carrying today came to mind……

250. NV Clothing’s 5 Year Anniversary Party
If your wardrobe needs updating this holiday season, two of Barrington’s finest fashion consultants are hosting a big party at their store tomorrow. Sean and Natalie Viohl, the owners of NV Clothing on Cook Street, have invited all of their most loyal clients and are welcoming the community to come out tomorrow to their big 5-year anniversary celebration.
The Viohls are a true Barrington success story. They met at Barrington High School, graduated in 1997 and started dating when they both attended Purdue University.…
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