Christmas in Chicago

BEST DATE NEWS

Dec. 24, 2025: Best Date News Volume #158

Welcome to Best Date News, your favorite Chicago weekly newsletter! Thank you for being a weekly reader. With Christmas taking place tomorrow, we decided to send this week’s newsletter a day early. In this week’s newsletter, you will read about the Christmas weather forecast, Chicago’s 2026 budget, the $1.7 billion Powerball, rejected license plates and more. Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Dec. 24: National Holidays

• Christmas Eve

• National Eggnog Day

• National Last-Minute Shopper’s Day

Sponsored by our friends at Santa’s Rock n Lights

Best Holiday Light Show

• Santa’s Rock n Lights: If you like Christmas lights, Santa’s Rock n Lights should be on your list of must-do activities this week. It’s a one-mile holiday drive-thru of spectacular lights dancing to Christmas music.

• You will experience dancing light tunnels, larger-than-life displays, a 150-foot polar train, 15-foot ice princesses and so much more. It’s truly impressive!

• There are two Santa’s Rock n Lights locations this year: near Wrigleyville and Geneva, IL. The location near Wrigleyville is Chicago’s first holiday drive-thru light show on the city’s North Side!

• Santa’s Rock n Lights is open through Dec. 31, and tickets start at $24.99. Use code “Santa20” for 20% off your ticket purchase (Wrigleyville or Geneva, IL)!

Chicago News

• Christmas Weather: We’ll be dreaming of a white Christmas this year, because snow isn’t in the forecast. Expect cloudy skies and temps around 40° on Christmas Day, with most of the day staying dry before a chance of showers late Christmas night. While white Christmases happen about 40% of the time in Chicago, the last one was in 2022. Colder air is expected to arrive late this weekend, with temperatures dropping back into the teens and 20s next week.

• 2026 Chicago Budget: Chicago’s City Council has passed a $16.6 billion budget for 2026 after months of debate. For the first time, Chicago aldermen pushed through their own budget as the mayor’s plan was rejected. The mayor has decided not to veto the council-backed budget. So what does the plan entail that Chicagoans will care about? Here’s what to know.

• $1.7 Billion Powerball: The Powerball jackpot is up to a massive $1.7 billion heading into tonight’s Christmas Eve drawing, the longest a billion-dollar prize has gone without being claimed. It’s now up to the fourth-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history. The story already has a Chicago-area twist, as a $1 million winning ticket from Monday’s drawing was sold at a gas station in Deerfield, IL. That ticket matched five numbers and came just one number shy of the full jackpot.

• McGee’s Closes: The longtime Lincoln Park favorite McGee’s Tavern & Grille, which had been open since 1987, has closed. The building at 950 W. Webster Ave. is now up for sale. Known for its young crowds, game-day atmosphere and proximity to DePaul, the bar was a go-to for students, alumni and longtime regulars. While ownership says a new concept is being considered, no plans have been announced yet.

• Chicago Snow Plows: Chicago is once again asking residents to help name its snowplows. The city’s fourth annual “Name a Snowplow” contest is open now, with bonus points for snow puns tied to Chicago trivia or hometown celebrities. Past winners include Mrs. O’Leary’s Plow and Snower Wacker. Entries are due by Jan. 10, with finalists announced Feb. 1 and six winning names chosen by public vote.

Just For Fun

• Rejected License Plates: Illinois drivers submitted more than 55,000 vanity plate requests this year, and not all of them made the cut. About 550 made the rejection list for being offensive, inappropriate or just too clever for their own good, landing them on the state’s permanent rejection list. Some of this year’s banned attempts include BBL, PRIUSSY, IBPOOPN and SNDNUDZ. The Illinois Secretary of State reading through them is a must-watch video.

• Christmas Light Displays: If your family loves driving around to see Christmas lights, the Chicago area has plenty of great options. One area that really stands out is Naperville, which is home to some of the region’s most impressive residential displays. This driving route highlights specific addresses, making it easy to plan a festive lights tour.

• Home Alone House: Did you know that one of the most iconic Christmas movie homes is just outside of Chicago?! The McCallister family house from Home Alone sits about 30 minutes north of the city in Winnetka and was used for several memorable scenes, including the foyer, living room and grand staircase. The 9,126-square-foot home sold for $5.5 million earlier this year (see the Zillow listing) and makes for a festive Christmas Eve stop if you’re nearby.

• Duncan’s Toy Chest: If you prefer Home Alone 2, you may remember the famous toy store scene. While the movie is set in New York, Duncan’s Toy Chest was actually filmed at two iconic Chicago locations. Exterior shots were filmed outside The Rookery in the Loop, while interior scenes were filmed at the now-closed Uptown Theater. Fun bonus, the Plaza Hotel interior scenes were filmed in Chicago at the Hilton on Michigan Avenue.

• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Did you know that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer originated in Chicago?! Its origin dates back to a Chicago department store in 1939. Watch this video to hear the unique story of how the classic children’s holiday story came about.

Weekend Plans

• Christkindlmarket: If you haven’t had a chance to visit The Christkindlmarket yet this holiday season, you still have time. All three locations of the German Christmas market are open today on Christmas Eve until 4 p.m. Today is the last day for the Daley Plaza and Aurora locations, but the Wrigleyville location will remain open after Christmas through New Year’s Eve.

• Chicago Bears: The Chicago Bears are back this weekend with another primetime face-off. On Sunday, Dec. 28, the Bears take on the 49ers in a Sunday Night Football matchup between two 11–4 teams. The game will be on the road at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara and will kick off at 7:20 p.m. on NBC. Want to relive last week’s magic? Watch this video the Bears posted last night.

• Harlem Globetrotters: The Harlem Globetrotters are celebrating 100 years with a special stop in the Chicago area this weekend. The iconic basketball team will play two family-friendly shows this Sunday, Dec. 28, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, with tip-offs set for 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

• Best Brunch Spots: One of Chicago’s best brunch restaurants is the Honeybear Cafe in Rogers Park! They have a little bit of everything on their menu, but they are most well-known for their over-the-top French toast and pancakes. You have to take a look! It’s also BYOB.

Poll Question of the Week

Last Newsletter's Poll Results

Poll Results: Last week, we asked you if the Bears would beat the Packers, and 77% of you said yes. Thanks to an incredible comeback victory, the majority of you were right.

Sunrise & Sunset in Chicago

Here is today’s outlook in Chicago (compared to last week):

• Sunrise: 7:16 a.m. (3 minutes later)

• Sunset: 4:24 p.m. (3 minutes later)

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