South Elgin festival brings early holiday cheer

With the Fox River in sight and Christmas music in the background, South Elgin welcomed the holidays Saturday afternoon at “An Almost Winter Day.”

On a crisp and cloudy late fall day, the line for free hot chocolate and coffee was nearly half as long as the line for the festival's most popular event: sleigh rides.

Peng Yu, her husband and five children waited about 40 minutes for a spin on the sleigh, decorated with candy canes and drawn by two horses decked out in jingle bells.

“We just came for the sleigh ride,” said Yu, of Bartlett. “Kids like it.”

The smiles and laughs of Yu's children as they jumped aboard the sleigh matched the expressions of many other children, who smiled as they made s'mores, rode ponies, decorated cookies and paper ornaments and awaited the arrival of Santa Claus.

Four-year-old Madison Hillebold of South Elgin said she wrote a letter to Santa asking him for a puppy and a dinosaur. She and her sister Megan, 2, later sat on an antique fire truck while their parents, Lisa and Mark, took photos.

“I think it's pretty cool, but I wish the weather could have been a little warmer for us,” Lisa Hillebold said. “It's really festive.”

South Elgin firefighters, as well as Sparky the fire dog, were on hand collecting donated items for Toys for Tots.

“It puts the idea in people's minds, and what happens sometimes is they come by the station and donate later,” said Britta Eggebrecht, a secretary for the South Elgin Fire Department.

Cub scouts from Pack 44 donated their time running an indoor cookie decorating station and singing carols, said Connie Loerwald of South Elgin, who organized the group of scouts.

“When we're not doing cookies or caroling, we're out enjoying the festivities,” Loerwald said. “This is our first year volunteering because we're trying to give more goodwill.”

Ryan Schrimsher of South Elgin said he and his relatives were looking forward to riding the Fox River Trolley Line and hearing a reading of “The Polar Express.” They made s'mores and cozied up by a bonfire before making their way to the trolley.

And while those who enjoyed South Elgin Parks and Recreation's “An Almost Winter Day” last year remember temperatures in the 60s, many in attendance Saturday said the cool temperatures, warm fires and holiday snacks helped them get an early jump on their holiday cheer.