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Carriage rides available for weary shoppers at Geneva Commons

To help you get into the holiday spirit, and rest your weary feet as you're shopping for the holidays, Geneva Commons is offering free horse-drawn carriage rides this month.

The carriages will be available from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays, Dec. 2, 9 and 16.

You can take the carriage rides from one end of the outdoor mall to the other, with some stops in between.

So once you've piled up plenty of packages, you can get a ride back to the other end to find your car.

Santa also will be on hand at the mall those same days.

He'll be strolling through the mall with holiday cheer and holiday treats from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. And then from 2 to 5 p.m., he'll be meeting with kiddos for a photo opportunity inside of Santa's holiday station, next to Learning Express.

There also will be pet photos with Santa available during those same holiday station hours.

You can bring your own camera along to capture the special moments with Santa with your favorite little ones, whether they are your children or your furry friends.

Coat collection: The folks at Algonquin Commons are not only hoping you won't leave the mall empty-handed, they're also hoping you won't come empty-handed.

They're collecting new or gently used winter coats, hats, glove, snow pants, snow boots and more now through Dec. 16.

You can drop them off at Guest Services. From there, District 300 volunteers and several partnering organizations will be distributing them to those in need.

And not that you need the incentive to give, but for each item you bring in, you will be entered to win a $50 Algonquin Commons gift card.

Also through Dec. 16, they're collecting new, unwrapped toys in Guest Services for Toys for Tots. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve will be donating the toys to children in need this holiday season.

Again, you also can enter to win a gift card for each toy you bring in.

The gift card drawing is open to those age 13 and over.

A new pet: Next weekend, in addition to your usual packages, you also can bring home a pet to join your family.

The Tails Humane Society is holding an adoption event at Geneva Commons on Dec. 8 and 9.

They'll be there all day in a storefront spot between J. Jill and the Loft with cats and dogs and other animals that you can adopt.

Now open: As you're out Christmas shopping, you can try a new restaurant along Randall Road.

Jiang's Mongolian Grill now is open in the Algonquin Commons mall.

The restaurant has been in the works for the past 12 months, and now is ready for diners to visit.

You can make your own stir-fry or have items off the menu at Jiang's, which also is featuring some Japanese fare.

Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Email her at randallbiz@comcast.net.

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