Santa and his reindeer are invited to the Lake in the Hills Airport for a rest stop on Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus, his sled and reindeer – Rudolph included – are invited to stop at the Lake in the Hills Airport for a rest, snack and recharge.

The public also is invited to swing by the McHenry County airport to see if they can catch sight of the Jolly Old Elf as he makes his way through northern Illinois.

The night is billed as the inaugural “Cary Dairy Reindeer Rest Area,” following a plan cooked up by Cary Dairy Ice Cream owner Randy Scott and airport manager Michael Peranich.

“We reached out to the Lake in the Hills Airport,” Scott said. “At Cary Dairy, we try to make memories for our guests. It has been our goal to begin a tradition of something we can do around the holidays to spark imagination ... a family memory to share with their children.”

The reindeer rest area will have oats, carrots, beets and ice cream for the sleigh team to snack on, Scott said. The airport also will be a visual locator for Santa as he enters the region, “so Santa and his reindeer will be able to find the area and deliver gifts safely,” Scott said.

Lake in the Hills is a better airport for the Christmas Eve gift delivery rest stop, Peranich said.

“Santa is going to get routed in behind too many other planes at O’Hare. He can land without much fuss at Lake in the Hills and doesn’t have to talk to air traffic control” at the village airport, Peranich said.

The runway lights will remain on to help guide the flight. There also is a grassy area behind the Blue Sky Flying Services Flight School, 8411 Pyott Road, where cars can stop in to see if they catch a glimpse of St. Nicholas. Peranich just asks that visitors be courteous to others if they decide to take a look.

An outdoor speaker near the area broadcasts calls from pilots coming into the airport or flying nearby. Families may be able to hear that information, too, Peranich said, if they are willing to roll down their windows on what may be a cold night.

Peranich said he does not have an estimated time for Santa’s flight, and he is not certain whether Santa will make a stop.

Families can use the NORAD Santa Tracker to see where he is on Christmas Eve, Peranich said.