Holiday tree display at Morton Arboretum
Expos, shows, festivals
• Christmas Craft Fair, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18: Forty artisans and crafters from the area will display their works. Admission is free with donation of a nonperishable item. Knupper Nursery, 1801 N. Rand Road, Palatine. (847) 359-1080 or knuppernursery.com.
Morton Arboretum
The following events are scheduled to take place at the Morton Arboretum, on Route 53 at I-88 in Lisle. For more details including admission rates, see mortonarb.org.
• “Holiday Trees,” 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through December, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in January. Indoor display of trees decorated by professional artists and designers along with the Arboretum's very own botanical arrangers. The Arboretum Tree is the tallest at 14 feet, featuring dried leaves in wine and fiery orange, some coated in gold coloring; bird feathers, ribbons, ornaments and more. Visitor Center.
• “Beer and Baubles” Men's Shopping Night, 5-8 p.m. Dec. 16. Sample beer at no cost from Two Brother's Brewery in Warrenville while selecting gifts. Patricia Locke jewelry is featured, with free gift wrapping. The Arboretum Store.
• Book signing, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 18. Author Cathy Maloney signs “The Gardener's Cottage in Riverside Illinois: Living in a ‘Small Masterpiece' by Frank Lloyd Wright, Jens Jensen, and Frederick Law Olmstead.” The Arboretum Store.
• Make Christmas Day memories with a walk through nature. Admission to the Arboretum is free on Christmas Day. There will be restroom access in the West Pavilion of the Visitor Center and the Thornhill Shelter. Children's Garden and other buildings will be closed. 7 a.m. to sunset Dec. 25.
Chicago Botanic Garden
The following activities are scheduled at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. (847) 835-5440 or chicagobotanic.org.
bull; Wonderland Express. See 750,000 lights and holiday beauty outside. Inside, at the Regenstein Center, see 10,000-square-foot exhibition of miniature trains wind over bridges, under trestles, past waterfalls, and through more than 80 mini-replicas of Chicago's favorite landmarks. Tickets on sale via Ticketmaster and on site. Adults: $10 nonmembers, $8 members; children ages 3 to 12 and seniors over age 62: $8 nonmembers, $6 members; children 2 and under: free. Free on Tuesdays through Dec. 21; timed tickets needed for free Tuesdays. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. through Jan. 3; closes at 3 p.m. on Dec. 24 and closed on Dec. 25. For more details and events, see chicagobotanic.org.
Flea markets, antique shows
bull; Wolff's Indoor Flea Market, 1775 N. Rand Road, Palatine (old Menard's store), 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $1, 50 cents for seniors and children ages 6 to 12. Call (847) 524-9590 or visit wolffs.com.
bull; Grayslake Antique Market, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, at Grayslake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake. Admission $6; free parking. zurkopromotions.com.
bull; Wheaton Antique Market, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, at DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 W. Manchester, Wheaton. Plus Holiday Creators Market. Admission $5. Early buyer, $15, for admission starting at 6 a.m. zurkopromotions.com.