Lombard to celebrate season with carolers, cocoa

Lombard's Jinglebell Jubilee has its first mascot - Jingles the reindeer.

Jingles is appearing only on posters and logos this year but is poised for a bigger role as Santa's helper next season, organizers say.

Jinglebell Jubilee on Saturday, Dec. 5, is a villagewide holiday celebration, from Santa's arrival in a fire truck to the holiday lights throughout Lilacia Park to the cocoa and carolers in downtown Lombard.

"It's really intended to be a fun-filled, family event," said Joelyn Kott, communications coordinator for the village.

And in the true spirit of the season, the Lombard Fire Department will collect donated toys during its annual toy parade on Saturday, Dec. 12.

Jinglebell Jubilee

Santa arrives at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5 to join Village President William Mueller in lighting the holiday tree at Main Street and St. Charles Road.

Then Santa will travel the few blocks Lilacia Park where he'll turn on the holiday lights display.

Other Jinglebell Jubliee events:

• Horse-drawn carriage rides from 4 to 6 p.m. leave from and return to Lombard Bible Church, 111 S. Park Ave. The church is also a warming center, offering hot cocoa and cookies.

• Glenbard East High School Madrigal Singers perform from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Helen Plum Library, Maple Street at Park Avenue.

• Gingerbread Christmas tours from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Victorian Cottage Museum on Maple Street.

• Train rides, refreshments and photos with Santa in Lilacia Park.

• Children's activities, carolers, cocoa and cookies, Winter Wonderland window display and Downtown Lombard Express Scavenger Hunt from 2 to 5 p.m. in downtown Lombard, sponsored by Lombard Town Centre.

Toy parade

The Lombard Fire Department's toy parade leaves Fire Station 1 on St. Charles Road at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 12, traveling south on Main Street to Glenbard East High School.

Community groups, businesses and families are asked to "adopt" a block along the route. Anyone wishing to donate new, unwrapped toys can stand along the route, on the west side of the street, and hand the toys to firefighters.

"It's an awesome sight to see people lined up, especially the children, waiting for the firemen to get to their corner," said firefighter/paramedic Dan Ekhart, co-organizer of the toy drive.

From Glenbard East, the fire trucks caravan to Yorktown Shopping Center, where the toys will be unloaded and brought into the mall for the toy drive.

The radio station 100.3 FM ("Love FM") will broadcast live from the mall and pledges to match all donations brought in between noon and 2 p.m.

For those who do not live near the parade route, toys can be dropped off at collection bins at village hall, Schroeder's Ace Hardware, the Lombard Jewel, the Lombard Starbucks on North avenue, Glenbard East High School and all Lombard Elementary District 44 schools.

To adopt a location on Main Street, call Kott, (630) 620-5718.

If you go

What: Jinglebell Jubilee, Lombard's annual holiday celebration and tree-lighting

When: Santa arrives at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5

Where: Tree lighting at St. Charles Road and Main Street; events at various locations in downtown Lombard and Lilacia Park

Info: villageoflombard.org; lombardparks.com; lombardchamber.com