Chicago at Christmas - A Beautiful Place To Be

Chicago is a great place to be at any time of year, but at Christmas it becomes particularly special. Yes its cold, there's no doubt about that, but a warm coat and a cup of coffee can soon banish the chill. The city has many great Christmas attractions, and we'll do our best to tell you about the best of them.

There are many great stores with awesome window displays but Macy's is very hard to beat.  Not only is it one of the biggest department stores in the world, but it's also home to the Great Tree - decorated with more than 12,000 christmas lights. Although you need to get up early to be beat the lines, you can actually eat lunch at the base of the tree in the Walnut Room. It's an amazing experience and definitely worth the wait.

German Christmas Markets are becoming increasingly popular in the US, and Chicago has the largest and one of the best - the Christkindlmarket. Originally started in Pioneer Court in 1996, the market quickly moved to it's home in Daley Plaza and offers traditional German food, great gifts and handmade goods as well as a range of entertainment - including traditional German songs. With nearly three quarters of its stall holders speaking both German and English, it's about as authentic as you can imagine.

Things To Do In Chicago at Christmas 2012

Daley Plaza also hosts The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony - as popular with the Chicago locals as tourists. It used to be held the day following Thanksgiving, but it now happens during the week which means more locals can get to it, including those who travel to relatives across the country for their November turkey feast! The tree is considered to be the very best fir from the Chicago area, Indiana and Wisconsin - with a voting process the week before.

In addition to the Tree Ceremony, you can also meet Santa Claus on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Chicago's Magnificent Mile

Don't forget to check out Michigan Avenue between Oak Street and the Chicago River.  The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival takes place there and officially kicks off the Christmas season in Chicago, with lots of fun family activities and the highlight, the Mickey Mouse parade, illuminating over one million lights along Michigan Avenue (thank goodness it gets dark early so you can appreciate  the beautifulness of this show).

Held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival marks the beginning of holiday shopping along North Michigan Avenue, a street known for its broad number of various stores and boutiques. Most shops will also have their christmas window displays in place, as well as extended shopping hours.

Christmas in Chicago? Try The Zoo!

Local Chicago families love visiting Lincoln Park Zoo where there is always a great display of sparking lights, as well as and nocturnal views of animals in seven habitats.

You can also go ice carving, decorate cookies, get your photo taken with Santa, ride the carousel and make holiday crafts – all you need to make your family holiday full of fun and excitement.

Chicago is a wonderful place. Have a very merry Christmas!