Posts Tagged ‘Traditions’
5 New Traditions To Start this October
October is upon us and we’re super excited to start your season off with 5 new traditions to start this October! This year, we have a whole 5 weekends in October to fill your time with fun, family and festive new traditions. Including outdoor family fun, football (of course), sweet treats, frisky flicks and spooky adventures. As the season is transitioning and the leaves are changing, now is the time to fall into new family traditions! Check them out…1. Pumpkin Patch
Fun for the entire family! Grab the kids, your favorite sweater and a smile and head out to your local pumpkin patch or farmer’s market. What greater way to spend the day than to take in the splendor of the local fall harvest? Pumpkin patches offer more than just pumpkins too, check out Didier Farm’s Pumpkin Fest, located in Lake County. They are a family owned and operated farm since 1912, bringing fun fall traditions such as pumpkin painting, hayrides, a bountiful farm-stand and more! After you’ve picked your favorite pumpkin, hold a family pumpkin carving or painting contest! This tradition is a whole day packed full of FUN!2.Football Party
Get ready for a touchdown! Grab your team (aka friends) and invite them over for an afternoon of football and yummy treats. Get the whole family in on the activity and dress up in your favorite team colors. For pregame snacks, check out these winning recipes. During halftime, get outside and play a game of touch football, or simply throw the football around. We only have a few more weeks of mild weather in Chicago this year, so jump outside and enjoy the fresh air while you can! PS: Go BEARS! 3.Celebrate National Cookie Month
Did you know that October is National Cookie Month? That’s right! In addition to the traditional trick-or-treating that comes with this month, we’ve got an extra reason to inspire your sweet tooth. Cue the cookie cutters, chocolate chips and frosting and dust off those baking pans for a delectable new tasty family tradition. Have each member in the family bake their favorite cookies and enjoy all month long. You can even bake up a batch and bring it to your neighbors, friends and loved ones- for a pleasant, sweet surprise. This tradition has its extra benefits as it’s a great dish to bring to your next outing or gathering. Make sure you take advantage of this nationally recognized month- it’s only here for 31 days- that’s the way the cookie crumbles! 4.Halloween Movie Night
A night in with the family watching your favorite Halloween flicks, enjoying monster munch popcorn and thrills & chills! Set up the living room with Halloween lights to set the ambiance. Kill the lights, take protection under a cozy blanket and settle in for a spooky, memorable and fun evening. Whether your poison is scary or classic family fun, you’ll be certain everyone will enjoy the ghosts, ghouls and laughs of this new family tradition. A few of our favorite movies to get in the Halloween mood are Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas and of course, Halloween!5.Visit A Haunted House
This tradition goes without saying…it’s simply all about finding the perfect attraction for you and your family! There are many attractions throughout Chicago and the Chicago suburbs- all sure to provide a fun, spooky time. An evening sure to provide a night full of screams, scares and classic Halloween memories to last throughout the years. Faint of heart? Don’t worry there are many local attractions that offer both family fun spooks to bone thrilling chills! Check out this link to find your perfect level of freight. Have any other October traditions you like to celebrate? Share them with us! Also, don’t forget the decorations! It’s A Wonderful Light is all set with your perfect Halloween or Fall outdoor decor-check them out here. As always, enjoy the little moments leading into the best season ever!!!6 Things to do on Labor Day Weekend in Chicagoland 2015
Labor Day weekend in Chicagoland is a well celebrated weekend with plenty to do for the whole Family. If you don’t already have plans, check out the many events and activities you can celebrate to get the most out of this long weekend. Who knows, perhaps you’ll find another new tradition to celebrate along with this cherished American holiday. Labor Day for many Americans can represents countless things: An extra day off of work, the official end of summer, the official beginning of football season, and so on. It is certainly a holiday in which we all so enjoy, but often forget the origin of. Labor Day actually has a long historical tradition about the labor workers who built our country. According to History.com, in the late 1800’s at the peak of the Industrial Revolution, the average American worked upwards of 12 hour days- seven days a week just to make ends meet! Hence, the idea of Labor Day was evolved from labor unions throughout the country who rallied for better working conditions and an 8-hour workday. That’s something to be truly grateful for! The holiday evolved over time, and finally became a recognized federal holiday in 1894. So, as you prepare for an enjoyable Labor Day this year, remember the contributions that American workers made to give us this special tradition that allows us to enjoy a long weekend and a splendid day off of work. Now, take a look at what’s happening in and around Chicagoland this patriotic weekend…1. Navy Pier Fireworks
Talk about a grand finale…
2. Naperville’s Last Fling
Featuring music, food & fun!
This isn’t your typical carnival. The Naperville Last Fling is a tradition that’s been celebrated for the past 50 years. Hosted by the Naperville Jaycees, the festival celebrates Labor Day and supports as many as 100 local businesses. The fling lasts all weekend and is featuring great bands this year. On Friday, September 4th you can catch Lita Ford, Jack Russell’s Great White Pirates & Bad Medicine. Saturday, September 5th American Idol’s, Daughtry, will play as the headliner and you can also see Ed Kowalczyk & Matthew Curry. Closing the entertainment on Sunday, September 6th is Chevelle, Finger Eleven & Naperville’s own, Lucky Boys Confusion! And, of course, Labor day isn’t complete without a parade! The annual Naperville Labor Day Parade, also hosted by Naperville Jaycees, starts at 10am on Monday, September 7th. Check out the website here for more info on the Last Fling.3. Explore Elmhurst Express
Jump aboard and experience Elmhurst like never before! 
Get an exclusive and exciting tour of the beautiful city of Elmhurst, Illinois! This FREE trolley service gives locals and tourists an opportunity to discover and explore Elmhurst. The hour long jaunt gives riders an exclusive look at all the shops, restaurants, parks and attractions that Elmhurst offers. Riders can also get a discount card on board saving them 10% at participating shops and restaurants. You can catch this ride all weekend! Explore Elmhurst Express takes off on Fridays (6-11 p.m.), Saturdays (12 noon – 11:30 p.m.) and Sundays (12 noon to 5 p.m.). Check out elmhurst.org for specific boarding times and more info on this fun little adventure! 4. Nature Nights: Seed Scatter
Bring a picnic dinner and spend an evening in the Garden!
This Saturday, September 5th from 5pm-7:30pm you can join in on this green Glencoe event is certain to become a standing tradition in Lake County. Held at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Nature Nights is a perfect time for the family to spend time in nature, soak up the outdoors and learn about the fascinating world of botany. This is a great event for the little ones (ages 4-10), everyone is able to explore different areas of the Garden and participate in a variety of hands-on activities. Each Nature Nights includes a fun tram ride, planting project, and s’mores around the campfire. As CBG says, “Seeds can’t walk, but they sure can get around! Hitchhiking, exploding, and parachuting are just a few ways that plants spread their seeds. Learn how and why seeds need to scatter, make a seed bomb to scatter seeds, and take home a plant with an interesting dispersal method.” Sounds like a new tradition may be growing in your future…check out more info on Nature Nights here.5. Dunham Woods Horse Show
One of the finest equestrian facilities in the entire Midwest! 
A summer season isn’t complete without a trip to a horseshow, and this one is world renowned, located right here in Chicagoland, and offers so much more than just a horseshow! Lamplight Equestrian Center features beautiful perennial gardens and thousands of trees. At this time of year, the perennials bloom creating an enchanting environment. Enjoy the horseshow facility’s gorgeous flower-lined walkways, covered ringside pavilions, a ringside café and the Hitching Post Bar. So grab your fancy hats and binoculars and enjoy what’s said to be an event filled with “tradition, & class” at such a lovely facility in our region!6. Glen Ellyn’s 5th Annual Sounds on the Street
Live concerts taking over Main Street!
Book the sitter or bring the kids. This is a free event held this Friday, September 4th starting at 7pm! Sounds of the Street is a building tradition for this southwest Chicago suburb. You can bring your favorite food and drink onto the street and enjoy the musical entertainment from five of the favorite Glen Ellyn restaurants: Wooden Barrel, Santa Fe Mexican Restaurant, fire + wine, Blackberry Market, Shannon’s Irish Pub and Cab’s Wine Bar Bistro. School of Rock, a children’s band, will perform at 7 p.m. and the featured band will take the stage at 8 p.m. This event is sure to be a hit- and the weather will be perfect! For more information on this event click here. With all of the events going on around Chicago, you’re certain to make the most out of this long Labor Day weekend. Whatever your plans are, we hope you have an enjoyable, relaxing time filled with traditions and memories to last throughout the year! As for us, we will be continuing to install Fall & Halloween displays to brighten up houses and businesses all over Chicagoland, of course! You may actually see our red trucks in your neighborhood. Looking for a Fall or Halloween display for your home or business? Contact us today for a free quote. As you may know, we offer professional holiday light installation in Chicagoland year round. We have lights, decorations, hay stacks and more to bring a spooky or classic fall swagger to your home or business. And the best part is, It’s A Wonderful Light handles everything from product, installation, service, takedown and storage- so you can spend your holiday relaxing and enjoying the beautiful display rather than installing it yourself. Take a look at our Halloween & Fall Decor Blog that features just a few of the many designs and options we can offer you this fall season. Happy Labor Day from all of us at It’s A Wonderful Light!5 End-of-Summer Traditions To Start This Year
Here at It’s A Wonderful Light, we believe that there is nothing better than a tradition. A special custom shared between loved ones that is passed on from generation to generation. Traditions aren’t just for the holidays; they should be celebrated all year round, and since we just love sharing new traditions, we put together a few of our favorite end-of-summer traditions we think you will enjoy…
1. Backyard Family Movie Night
Playing in a backyard near you: backlit Christmas lights, your favorite summer flick, popcorn, and a new family tradition.
What a better way to spend quality time with your Family than to share a favorite flick underneath the stars- in your own backyard?! A DIY movie night outdoors is a magical way to close out the summer. All you need is a white sheet, a projector, popcorn, blankets and your favorite flick. Brighten up the ambiance by stringing some lights around the yard, sit back and enjoy. See how you can set up your very own DIY backyard movie night here. 2. I Scream, You Scream
That’s right, ice cream! A tradition that can never go out of style.
Who doesn’t LOVE ice cream? The kids will especially enjoy this tradition. Make an activity out of it. Gather the family into the car and head to the market, each family member has a budget to spend on whatever toppings and fixings they’d like for their very own ice cream sundae! Head home and begin the creation of your delicious concoctions. Spending time together as a family, enjoying a sweet treat, and the little ones will have a blast being in charge of their own sundae. This tradition is extra sweet and special. 3. Frame Your Favorite Memory
Look back at the summer and pick your favorite moment to display all year round.
You know you have to organize that camera roll anyway, so make it a family project! Take a trip down memory lane and revisit all of the fun moments you enjoyed this summer. You’ll be surprised at how many sweet snaps you captured and forgot about! Once you’ve selected the best picture that sums up this summer, grab a frame and have each member of the family write their favorite part about the day the picture was taken on the back of the frame. Display the frame, and you’ll have a sentimental reminder of this summer of 2015 every time you see it. What makes this tradition extra precious is reading the messages you wrote on the back each year when you put your next “favorite summer memory” inside the frame! This tradition is so much more meaningful than a post on Instagram or Facebook. 4. Kids Take Over The Kitchen
Move over Mom & Dad, the kids have a special treat in store!
You have to admit, it will be nice to not have to cook for one night! This tradition can take place any time of year, but summer is a perfect time. Why? Because the farmers’ markets (one of our favorite’s is Northfield’s Farmers’ Market). Come on, admit you’ve been wanting to go all summer- now’s your chance. And the best part is, the kids will enjoy going with because they get to pick the ingredients! Win-win! As a family, plan what the little ones will be dishing up and write your list together. Head out to your local farmer’s market and have a scavenger hunt collecting the ingredients. Get the bowls, cutting boards, spices and a safe-fool-proof recipe together and watch as your kids work together to complete the meal. Grab a glass of wine and Bon Appetit! Remember, safety first- keep a close eye on your little chefs.5. Back-To-School Resolutions
Who said resolutions were only for New Years?
This isn’t just for the kids, this is for parents too! Resolutions for transition phases, like back-to-school, is a great way for your family to stay organized and have more fun together. According to PBS, the biggest benefit of sharing resolutions as a family is that each member learns how to manage the importance of setting goals and working together to accomplish them. Have everyone sit down and write their goals for the school year and read them aloud. Put them somewhere that you will all see each day, and encourage each other to accomplish their individual goals. This is a great way to bond as a family and a fantastic tradition that lasts all year long. Do you have any end of summer traditions that your family celebrates? Please share them with us! Don’t forget to start preparing for your holiday traditions too- we’re currently scheduling Fall & Halloween holiday lighting and decor installation for Chicagoland, contact us for a free quote today. Check out last week’s blog on all of the spooky, bright and festive displays we have to offer. We hope you enjoy the last sweet sentiments of summer- Now, go forth and make some new traditions, friends!