Light displays, last-minute Santa visits & shopping options top this week’s calendar

Noon Thursday, Dec. 22, is the deadline to appear in next week’s What’s Happening. We must receive your event in writing with a contact phone number for questions.

Due to the number of submissions received, events may run only one time in print, will be edited and appear the week before the event date.

Email: lifestyle@bnd.com. Mail to: Lifestyle, Belleville News-Democrat, P.O. Box 427, Belleville, IL 62222-0427. Questions, call Jennifer Green at 618-239-2643.

Holiday Happenings

▪ Santa’s House — Noon to 5 p.m. and 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22 and Friday, Dec. 23, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24. Public Square, downtown Belleville. Santa’s House is always bright, clean and shiny each Christmas season, ready for children to come and visit Santa. Santa’s House resides at Belleville’s public square as a safe place for children and families of the community to visit Santa Claus. facebook.com/SantasHouseBelleville.

▪ Photos with Santa — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23. SIHF Healthcare, 100 N. Eighth St., East St. Louis. Gifts will be provided to children (while supplies last). Photos printed on site. facebook.com/SIHFHealthcare

▪ North Pole Night Cap (Adults only) — 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28; Thursday, Dec. 29; and Friday, Dec. 30. St. Louis Union Station, 201 S. 18th St., St. Louis. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. This new one-of-a-kind pop-up bar experience takes place on beautifully decorated rail cars. Guests will enjoy beer, wine and spiked hot chocolate as they journey to the “North Pole.” The evening starts in the holiday-themed Train Depot where the first beverage of the evening will be served. The Depot includes a variety of scenic picture stations for Instagram-worthy group photo opportunities or selfies. For tickets (required) and info: stlouisunionstation.com/north-pole-night-cap

▪ Gateway Arch Park Foundation Winterfest — 4-8 p.m. Fridays and noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays through Sunday, Jan. 1. Kiener Plaza, 500 Chestnut St., St. Louis. Family-friendly activities include ice skating, s’mores stations, igloos underneath 100,000 twinkling lights and more. Closed Dec. 23-24 due to extreme weather forecast. archpark.org/winterfest

▪ Christmas Wonderland Light Display — 6-9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 5-9 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays through Tuesday, Dec. 27. Rock Spring Park, 2100 College Ave., Alton. More than 4 million lights will twinkle against the beautiful backdrop of Rock Spring Park, lighting the way toward another illuminating holiday season. The popular Enchanted Forest will also be open this year for visitors. Holiday trees are decorated by community organizations, schools and scout groups. Visitors to the park vote on their favorite and the organization’s tree with the most votes receives a cash prize. Santa will once again be back at the Santa House. Family members are encouraged to take their own photos with Santa at no charge. Admission to Christmas Wonderland is a suggested donation of $7 for cars and small vans or $1 per person for vehicles holding more than 10 people. 800-258-6645 or riversandroutes.com.

▪ 53rd annual Way of Lights Christmas Display — 5-9 p.m. nightly through Saturday, Dec. 31. National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, 442 S. De Mazenod Drive, Belleville. Wintertime sparkles at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows as the Annual Way of Lights Christmas display illuminates the grounds. This breathtaking display focuses on the birth of Christ, the one true light of the world. Come inside to experience the Twelve Days of Christmas Tree Room, Wreath Auction, Shrine Gift Shop, community music performances and LEGO Brick Display. Free admission to the outdoor light display. Paid features include camel, donkey and pony rides, petting zoo, kettle corn, food booth, carriage rides, and more. 618-397-6700 or snows.org/wayoflights.

▪ Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland — 5-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 5-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays through Saturday, Dec. 31. Horner Park, 11113 Widicus Road, Lebanon. Enjoy a mixture of colorful lights with beautiful cut-outs depicting scenes and whimsical adventures. lebanonswinterwonderland.org

▪ 10th annual Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden — Hours vary by date. Through Saturday, Jan. 7. Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis. Immerse yourself in a wonderland of more than 1.5 million lights, including spectacular new shows and favorite holiday tradition. New this year: A spectacular new show fills the pools in front of the Climatron with more than 100,000 lights. Advanced tickets are strongly encouraged to guarantee the date/time of your choosing. Tickets range from $3 to $22. Garden Glow is closed December 24 and 25. For more information, visit mobot.org/glow.

▪ U.S. Bank Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo — 5-8:30 p.m. on select nights only through Friday, Dec. 30. Saint Louis Zoo, 1 Government Drive, St. Louis. ‘Tis the season for holiday lights and sweaters! The dazzling holiday event features brand-new light displays and themed areas. Warm up with winter-themed treats, and say hello to the animals at Penguin & Puffin Coast and the Insectarium. For tickets and info: stlzoo.org/wildlights.

Events

▪ Free New Book Giveaway — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays the month of December or until all books are distributed. YWCA Southwestern Illinois, 304 E. Third St., Alton. YWCA has 80 plus titles of books with multiple copies of each title. The majority of the books are hard back. All books are in excellent condition and are suitable for holiday gift giving. Books will be distributed on a first come first served basis. 618-465-7774 or altonywca.com.

▪ Free Clothing — 9-11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23. 1050 N. State St., Freeburg. Free men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, toys, shoes and miscellaneous items. Sponsored by Freeburg Food and Clothing Bank. 618-539-5070.

▪ Raja the Asian Elephant’s 30th Birthday — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27 (weather permitting). River’s Edge, Saint Louis Zoo, 1 Government Drive, St. Louis. Raja will receive special presents to stomp open at his annual birthday party. Guests are invited to sing “Happy Birthday” and cheer for Raja. After the celebration, Zoo guests can sign a super-sized birthday card and learn more about elephants and elephant conservation through activities and biofacts until 1 p.m. at The Living World. Free to attend. Birthday cupcakes and hot chocolate will be available for purchase in Lakeside Cafe. stlzoo.org/raja

▪ Rotary Club of O’Fallon Red Cross Blood Drive — 1:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27. St. Clare Catholic School Gym, 214 W. Third St., O’Fallon. Blood supplies are critically short. To schedule an appointment please call 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org. Walk-ins are welcome, but those with appointments will be given priority service. Please bring a photo ID. Donors will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt while supplies last.

Clubs & Support Groups

▪ Parkinson’s Disease Discovery Group — 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27. Sullivan Conference Room, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland, 12866 Troxler Ave., Highland. Meetings will be held on the fourth Tuesday of every month. This group provides the opportunity to learn and share helpful information, support each other in dealing with Parkinson’s disease-related issues, and to connect with others who can relate to your experience. Registration is not necessary to attend. Masking (non-cloth) is still required in health care facilities. For more information or questions, please call 618-651-2720. stjosephshighland.org

▪ The National Alliance on Mental Illness Southwestern IL (NAMI SWI) — 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27. First Baptist Church, 534 St. Louis St., Edwardsville. For family members or other caregivers of someone who has a mental illness. Meetings held the fourth Tuesday of each month. For information, contact Pat Rudloff at silverlining6@charter.net or call NAMI at 618-798-9788.

▪ Parents of Addicted Loved Ones — 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Online via Zoom. The PAL group provides education, support and hope to family members and loved ones of someone who has an addiction of substance use disorder. Free and open to all. For info or to join the Zoom meeting, contact Craig at 618-567-6095. palgroup.org

▪ Bible Study Fellowship Women’s Classes — 9:30-11 a.m. and 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. St. Matthew Church, 1200 Moreland Drive, Belleville. Morning classes include teaching for newborn through Pre-K. Together with other women, we will be studying the later history of Israel. For info or to register, call or leave a message with Jane at 618-520-8357 or Candy at 618-363-3285.

▪ Belleville Community Band — 7:30-9 p.m. Wednesdays. Belleville Philharmonic Hall, 116 N. Jackson St., Belleville. Currently seeking new members, particularly woodwinds, percussion and tuba. Visit the Belleville Community Band Facebook page for more info.

▪ Grief Share Seminar/Group — 2-3:30 p.m. Tuesdays starting Jan. 10 through April 4. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Fellowship Hall, lower level, 1300 Beltline Road, Collinsville. Weekly seminar and support group for those grieving the death of a loved one. Featuring practical suggestions and reassurance through video interviews with counselors, grief experts and others who experienced the death of a loved one. There will be 13 sessions that can be started any session. Fee: $20 for the workbook. For info or to register: 618-344-3151 or bklee54@yahoo.com.

Food

▪ O’Fallon Fish Fry — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Fridays. Knights of Columbus Hall, 402 E. U.S. 50, O’Fallon. Traditional menu of cod, tilapia, catfish, hamburgers, hot dogs, pork steaks and several side dishes. Dine-in and carryout. Credit cards accepted. Orders can be called in at 618-632-6229. facebook.com/KnightsOfColumbus4239

▪ Aviston Legion Fish Fry — 4:30-7 p.m. Fridays. American Legion Post 1239, 601 S. Clinton, Aviston. Cod (baked or fried), catfish, shrimp, chicken strips, fries, baked potato, slaw, applesauce. Dine-in and carryout. 618-228-7311. avistonlegion.com

This story was originally published December 21, 2022 at 9:00 AM.