Find the Holiday Spirit at Wheeling Park District
Watch for the Santa Express coming to a Wheeling neighborhood near you! Look for clues at parks for the Snowflake Scavenger Hunt. Write a letter to Santa.
Linda Birnbaum
The lights are twinkling on the trees and the special Santa mailbox is in front of the Community Recreation Center (CRC) waiting for all the boys and girls to drop off Letters to Santa. If you prefer to send your Santa list by mail, address it to: Santa Claus, Community Recreation Center, 100 Community Blvd., Wheeling, IL 60090. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope and Santa will reply by Dec. 25, to all letters received by Friday, Dec. 11.
Santa is taking time out of his busy holiday schedule to jump on board the new Santa Express bus and travel through the neighborhoods and parks of Wheeling waving at all the boys and girls. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, 5-7 p.m., Santa will hit the north region of the village, starting in the neighborhood in and around Arlington Club; he'll make his way to Strong Street and Shadow Bend Drive with brief stops at Childerley Park (approximately 5:30 p.m.), Denoyer Park (approximately 6 p.m.), Northside Park (approximately 6:30 p.m.) and Chamber Park (approximately 6:45 p.m.).
Catch Santa on Monday, Dec. 14, 5-7 p.m., in the west region starting at Mallard Lake Apartments and ending at Mark Twain School with stops at Malibu Park (approximately 5:15 p.m.), Horizon Park (approximately 6 p.m.) and Mark Twain Park (approximately 6:45 p.m.). See Santa in the east region on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 5-7 p.m., starting at Heritage Park by the CRC and ho-ho-ho-ing all the way to the Hunt Club Apartments with a brief stop at Meadowbrook Park around 5:30 p.m. On Monday, Dec. 21, 5-7 p.m., Santa will be in the south region of Wheeling starting in the neighborhoods near Hintz and Wheeling roads and working his way to Avalon Sienna. Catch up with him at Pleasant Run Park (approximately 5:30 p.m.) and Avalon Sienna Park (approximately 6:30 p.m.).
Be sure to follow the Santa Express through the neighborhoods of Wheeling on the Wheeling Park District Facebook page.
Join the Snowflake Scavenger Hunt and discover the “secret message.” Look for the snowflake signs in each of the park district's 10 playground parks during the month of December. Once you visit all 10 parks, decode the “secret message.”