Wheaton welcomes season with lights, parade

When Wheaton Mayor Mike Gresk was just an 11-year-old boy he reached perhaps the pinnacle of his holiday happiness when he received a 26-inch Schwinn bicycle for Christmas.

It wasn't Lance Armstrong quality, but a pedal-only speed with coaster brakes that Gresk reveled in as much as Ralphie Parker when he finally received his Red Ryder BB gun.

The official start of Wheaton's version of holiday excitement began Friday night with the lighting of the Christmas tree and holiday light parade downtown.

Spectators huddled along a chilly Front Street at 5:45 p.m. and helped Gresk countdown…5…4…3…2… "Hit it!" as the mayor flipped the switch, uniting beaming holiday lights with red, festive bows on the city's tree.

Children then lined the curbs for some traditional holiday parade sights (Mickey Mouse, Snow White) and some less traditional spectacles (the Incredible Hulk).

Downtown shops stayed open late as parents quizzed their children about their holiday wish lists. It evoked the question, what does Wheaton's mayor have on his list this year?

Politically, Gresk said he wants to see a grocery store stay in the downtown, continued discussion of the redevelopment of the Hubble Middle School site and general economic well-being throughout the city.

But what's on the list he sent Santa? Is it an Xbox 360? Perhaps finally an upgrade to that old Schwinn bicycle?

"Honestly, I have everything that I want," Gresk said. "What can you get me? Golf clubs or a box of cigars? I don't golf, and I don't smoke. So those would be really, really silly to get me. I have no real burning desire for anything."

Gresk said he's instructed his family to make donations to Wheaton-based charities in his name for their contributions to his stocking this year.