67-year-old Kankakee woman Lori Anderson is seeking a kidney donor.

Santa delivered gifts to over 120 kids through the through Blue and Red Christmas for Kids in Peru. The Christmas program was established in 2013 by the Peru police and fire departments. It donates more than gifts to children in need.

Downtown Joliet is dressed into holiday style, despite continued work on the Chicago Street Streetscape and city square projects. But despite ongoing construction, businesses still decked themselves out with plenty of good holiday cheer.

Putnam County Primary School has been transformed into a festive winter wonderland this holiday season, bringing excitement to students, staff and visitors.

Now the FIT Foundation – a meal prep company is seeking donations for Christmas dinners for Joliet and Crest Hill police officers who are working on Christmas Day.

Every year I am asked what I would like for Christmas. Each year my reply is “Peace on Earth.” I understand peace to mean not merely the absence of conflict, but also a wholeness to creation.

Rochelle Community Hospital on Thursday, Dec. 18, hosted its fifth annual holiday drive-thru dinner and distributed 200 meals to people in need.

The Blue Christmas service will be held at the Chapel on the Green, 107 W. Center St., Yorkville.

Tribute artist Dean Z will perform classic songs from all of the different eras of Elvis’ musical career.

For all of those years of giving and sharing, Troy School District 30-C recently honored Robyn Apgar with its “Troy High-Five Award.”

The River Valley Wind Ensembles presented its annual Holiday Concert, preceded by Christmas carols, on Sunday at Olivet Nazarene University’s Larsen Fine Arts Center in Bourbonnais.

Over 50 volunteers wrapped presents for the Blue and Red Christmas for Kids on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, at the City of Peru Public Safety Complex. Blue and Red will be delivering gifts to 120 children on Friday, Dec. 19. Area schools provided toys to the fire and police departments with children's names and their Christmas lists. The program relies on donations, including a $2,000 donation from the City of Peru in November. The Christmas program was established in 2013 by the Peru police and fire departments. It donates more than gifts to children in need; it provides personalized gifts for each child and family, including clothing and toys.

The Yorkville Public Library hosted Santa Claus and local children for is Polar Express holiday party. Children enjoyed cookies and coloring as they listened to staff read the classic "Polar Express" and some shared their last-minute Christmas wish list with Santa.

Santa will roll past the downtown Herscher grain bins once again for the 30th annual Christmas in Herscher celebration on Friday evening, Dec. 19.

Rochelle United Methodist Church has offered an inter-denominational Blue Christmas service to the community for the past few years, and is offering one again this year on the evening of Dec. 21, which is the Longest Night.

Paisley: Sometimes it feels like the real meaning of Christmas gets a bit lost in the midst of the decorations, presents and whirl of activities surrounding the end-of-the-year festivities.

Faith Lutheran Church is once again hosting a Christmas brunch. The brunch will be served on Christmas morning from 10 a.m. until noon.

U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 832 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees.

The Erie Public Library invites residents to a community Christmas party from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18.

Attendees and parade participants braved the cold for the Kankakee Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025.

Leaf River is celebrating the season with the Festival of Trees hosted by the Charles D. Bertolet Foundation.

Single digit temperatures didn’t stop the Kankakee Christmas Parade on Saturday.

The Leaf River Soaring Eagles 4-H Club celebrated its annual Christmas party Dec. 8.

Santa visited The Coffee Barn in downtown Mendota on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. Families enjoyed writing letters to Santa, cookies, hot chocolate and cozy photo sessions during the holiday event.

The Village of Ashton celebrated the Christmas season with the annual Christmas Walk on Saturday, Dec. 6.

The Community Action Network of Rochelle hosted its annual Holiday Shopping Trip for children in need in the community Thursday, Dec. 11, at First Presbyterian Church.

In the face of frigid temperatures and light snow, the city of Joliet on Saturday gave Santa a send-off to the North Pole.

The horse-drawn wagon rides and Santa & Mrs. Claus visits now will take place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday. Dec. 19, at Centennial Park in Rock Falls.

The city of Joliet is kicking off its holiday season with two community traditions – the annual Santa Send-Off and the 49th Festival of the Gnomes.

The mission of the Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club is to build camaraderie.

Author Josh Binder’s newest title in the growing Mighty Maddie series – “Mighty Maddie’s Christmas Adventure” – is an inspiring, heart-warming holiday story celebrating courage, kindness and the unique magic that individuals with Down Syndrome bring into the world.

Pick up some Christmas treats and gifts in one place this Saturday at the Manteno Church of the Nazarene’s Vendor Fair & Cookie Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Improv Playhouse Theatre, celebrating its 25th anniversary, is opening the doors to its new performance home with a return of one of its most beloved traditions; Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.”

The Grayslake Historical Society will host a vintage Holiday Open House from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 14 in the community room of the Grayslake Heritage Center and Museum, 164 Hawley St., Grayslake.

Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills will host a Hot Cocoa Stroll from 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at Hawthorn Row.

Sponsored by Candlelight Inn, these festive rides will run from 5:30–8:30 p.m. Dec. 12, 2025, with the last ride at 8:15 p.m. Please note that no vehicles will be allowed in the park that evening.

The display of beautifully decorated trees nestled in the heart of Town Square Park. 301 N Bridge St., Yorkville.

This holiday season the man in the big red suit got a little help from the crew in blue. Volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of Yorkville help make the event extra magical

The gifts are for children up to 12 years of age. Community members can drop off gifts up to Saturday, Dec. 13.

During the ceremony, volunteers will lay remembrance wreaths on the graves of over 150 veterans while saying each veteran’s name aloud.

Experience the magic of the season with a cozy carriage ride through the Celebration of Lights in La Salle. Carriage rides are offered in November and December at Rotary Park. The last ride is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 11. Prices are $25 per person or $200 for the entire wagon up to a dozen people. The carriage rides are organized by the Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce. For more information visit https://www.ivaced.org/carriage-rides.

Norwegian-Americans celebrated Christmas Nordic style with food, music, and gifts.

The Ogle County Sheriff’s Office is joining law enforcement agencies across Illinois in a major traffic safety effort from Dec. 12 through Jan. 5.

Faces and vehicles were lit up for the 2025 Plano Rockin’ Christmas on Dec. 5. Community members were serenaded by students performing in the Plano Middle School Jazz Band and the Emily G Johns Band.

Rochelle children over the past 20-plus years never had to wonder why Santa Claus looked a little different than he did the last time they saw him. That Santa Claus was Steve Strang. This Christmas season will be Rochelle’s first without him.

The La Salle Knights of Columbus Calvert Council 792 hosted its annual Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 7, serving more than 150 free meals to community members.

Churches across La Salle, Bureau and Putnam counties have announced their Christmas Eve and Christmas Day service schedules for 2025.

Downtown Manteno was bustling with holiday cheer for the annual Christmas in Manteno celebration on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025.

The award-winning American Legion Band will hold its annual Christmas concert at the Rialto Square Theatre on Dec. 14 to benefit Catholic Charities.

This is the 21st year the church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist in Oswego presented this display. It was held during Oswego’s annual Christmas Walk