Naperville bank showcases Cup of Cheer exhibit

Naper Settlement and Naperville Bank & Trust are partnering to showcase the settlement's Cup of Cheer tea cup and saucer collection.

The Cup of Cheer Holiday House Walk is the Naperville Garden Club's annual fundraiser, which is being held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7. Naperville Bank & Trust, 5 S. Washington Ave., is one of the ticket locations for the event and will have the Cup of Cheer exhibit on display through January.

“We are delighted to be able to share part of our collection that highlights a community group that has been influential in Naperville's history,” said Jennifer Bridge, curator of exhibits and interpretation. “This is a wonderful opportunity for our collection to be seen by a larger audience.”

“As a community bank, we are deeply sensitive to the importance heritage plays in the foundation of a community,” Naperville Bank & Trust President Tom Miers said. “The Garden Club has long been a cultural cornerstone of our community and Cup of Cheer, a treasured tradition. We're glad to share these heirlooms with our customers and everyone who visits downtown Naperville.”

The Cup of Cheer Holiday House Walk has been the Naperville Garden Club's major fundraiser for 51 years.

Held annually on the first Friday of December, the event begins with a tea social and attendees then take tours of five area homes bedecked in holiday splendor and lovingly decorated by club members.

One of the benefits of attending the event, besides experiencing great holiday decorating ideas, is receiving a coveted china cup and saucer, which are a different pattern every year. The patterned cups and saucers on display at Naperville Bank & Trust are examples of the souvenirs guests received at past Cup of Cheer events.

Proceeds from the Cup of Cheer fund public and educational projects that further the Naperville Garden Club's mission to “promote conservation, civic beautification, and the knowledge and love of gardening.”