HAWTHORN MALL SHARES LINEUP OF 2021 HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS
Hawthorn Mall, a super-regional shopping center in Vernon Hills, a suburb just north of Chicago (www.shophawthornmall.com), announced a series of fun-filled and COVID-conscious seasonal events and activities. From an exciting Santa’s arrival celebration and visits with Santa in his “A Christmas Story”-themed holiday home to live music, a very special pet night with Santa, and a sensory-friendly Santa event, this holiday season at Hawthorn Mall promises to be extra special.
Holiday Events & Activities
Giving Tree: To help children in need this holiday season, Hawthorn Mall will host a Giving Tree in cooperation with Catholic Charities, an organization dedicated to providing food, clothing, shelter and counseling to the hopeless in Chicago and its suburbs. From November 15th through December 13th, Hawthorn Mall shoppers are invited to visit the tree at the Santa set on the lower level (near Center Park and Pandora) to select a child’s holiday wish to fulfill. Gifts can be dropped off in the mall management office Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or with mall security after hours and on weekends. To learn more, visit https://www.shophawthornmall.com/events/.
Festival of Trees: Hawthorn Mall has invited a number of organizations to decorate Christmas trees at the mall, including the Countryside Fire Protection District, Orphans of the Storm, Brookdale Senior Living, the Vernon Hills Seniors Organization, Vernon Hills Pageant Queens, and the Hawthorn Mall Management Office. All of the decorated trees will be available for viewing on the lower level in Macy’s Court from November 15th through Christmas. Shoppers are invited to vote on their favorite tree during regular holiday hoursbetween November 15th and November 30th by placing their vote in the ballot box in Macy’s Court. Each person who submits a ballot will be entered for a chance to win a $500 shopping spree to their favorite Hawthorn Mall retailer. The winner of the drawing will be selected and notified via email on December 1st. Three organizations whose trees earn the most votes will also receive a first, second or third-place prize; the winning trees will be announced via social media. While voting ends November 30th, trees will remain available for viewing until December 24th.To learn more, visit https://www.shophawthornmall.com/events/.
Santa’s Arrival: Santa’s arrival celebration will take place on Friday, November 19th, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. During the celebration, which begins at the southwest entrance of the mall (near Maggiano’s), costumed characters from the film along with the Countryside Fire Department will escort Santa through the mall to his new “A Christmas Story” home located on the lower level near Center Park. Each child attending this event will receive a branded “A Christmas Story” swag bag including an ornament, a tumbler, chocolate fudge and a $25 gift certificate to Barbara’s Bookstore. The event will also feature live reindeer, a balloon artist, a face painter, a DJ, a spin-to-win prize wheel for children, cookies and a hot cocoa bar. Escalated cleaning and safe-distancing protocols will be followed, and guests are asked to observe all state and local healthcare regulations; masks may be required. This is a paid event; tickets cost $5 per child and all proceeds will be donated to Make-A-Wish, an organization dedicated to making life-changing wishes come true for children with critical illnesses. Advance registration is required to attend this event. Parents accompanying one or more children do not need a ticket. To pre-register and obtain a ticket for each child, please visit http://ow.ly/9Jh430rWKym.
Photos with Santa: Santa will be available for visits and professional photos daily at Hawthorn Mall beginning Saturday, November 20th, through Christmas Eve, December 24th. Santa’s hours will vary; visit www.ShopHawthornMall.com/holiday to see his schedule. Each visit with Santa will begin with a walk through the new interactive “A Christmas Story” set located on the lower level near Center Park and Pandora. After they work their way through the captivating and entertaining set, children will be able to talk with Santa to share their holiday wish lists. For photos, guests will have the option of sitting with Santa or taking photos with 6 feet of social distance; for socially distanced photos, each picture will be professionally staged to minimize the visibility of that distance. To reduce overall wait times and promote social distancing and contactless payment, families are strongly encouraged to make a reservation in advance of their visit at https://bit.ly/3j5RJKl. While strongly encouraged, a reservation is not required, and walk-up visits will be accommodated on a space-available basis. In addition to paid professional photos, the new “A Christmas Story” holiday experience will also include a variety of no-cost selfie opportunities ideal for those who may not feel comfortable taking a photo with Santa this year.
*SOLD OUT * “Soothing Santa” Sensory Friendly Visit: Hawthorn Mall’s “Soothing Santa” event is a sensory-friendly opportunity for children with special needs and their families to enjoy a visit and private photo session with Santa Claus in a calming environment before the mall opens to the public. The event takes place in the “A Christmas Story” Santa set on the lower level (near Center Park and Pandora) from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 5th. The event is free of charge, but advance registration through Eventbrite is required (one ticket per group/family); to register, click here: https://bit.ly/3nawckY. Photo prices vary. For more information, visit www.ShopHawthornMall.com/holiday.
“Santa Paws” Pet Night with Santa: Pet owners are invited to bring their furry four-legged friends to a special pet photo session with Santa Claus from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on two Monday evenings: December 6th and December 13th. During these times, well-mannered, leashed or kenneled pets can visit with Santa in his “A Christmas Story” home on the lower level near Center Park and Pandora while professional photographers capture the memories as Santa and each fur baby enjoy a warm encounter. Pets must enter the mall at the southwest entrance near Maggiano’s, then go to the Santa set on the lower level near Center Park and Pandora. All pets must be leashed or caged while in the shopping center. Hawthorn Mall’s “A Christmas Story” encounter will be open for people without pets during these times as well. To reduce overall wait times and promote social distancing and contactless payment, guests are strongly encouraged to make a reservation in advance of their visit at https://bit.ly/3j5RJKl. While strongly encouraged, a reservation is not required, and walk-up visits will be accommodated on a space-available basis. For more information, please visit www.ShopHawthornMall.com/holiday.
“Holiday Perks” Rewards: Hawthorn Mall is proud to announce it will offer a series of special “Holiday Perks” designed exclusively for its MyPerks loyalty program members. Perks include an array of special offers for Black Friday (from November 26th through November 28th), special savings on photos with Santa (good from December 2nd through December 5th), a winter wonderland of savings and special offers (December 9th through December 13th), a special campaign that gives members access to limited-time retail offers for 10 days in a row (from December 15th through December 24th), and a very special New Year’s offer (good from December 26th through January 2nd). All offers will be delivered to MyPerks members via their email inbox or mobile device; offers can be redeemed in person at the mall. Not a MyPerks member? No problem. Joining the program is free and easy; for details, visit the Hawthorn Mall MyPerks page on the center’s website here: https://www.shophawthornmall.com/login/.
2021 Annual Giving Life Holiday Blood Drive: Did you know that someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds? And that nearly 5 million Americans need blood transfusions each year? This season, as people are thinking about gift giving, Hawthorn Mall encourages the community to give the gift of life through 2021 Annual Giving Life Holiday Blood Drive from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on December 17th. Blood donations will be collected on-site at Hawthorn Mall by Vitalant, one of the nation’s oldest and largest non-profit community blood service providers. To learn more or to schedule a donation appointment, visit the Hawthorn Mall website at https://www.shophawthornmall.com/events/.
Center Park Carolers: From December 18th through December 22nd, Hawthorn Mall has invited a number of talented local carolers to perform in the mall’s Center Park in the days leading up to Christmas. These performances, which will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. each evening, are free of charge and are meant to be enjoyed by guests throughout the mall while they shop. To learn more, visit https://www.shophawthornmall.com/events/.
Located in Vernon Hills, Illinois, Hawthorn Mall has been the preferred shopping and dining destination in Lake County since 1973. While the center currently boasts more than 120 specialty retailers, including Lake County’s only Maggiano’s and a state-of-the-art AMC Hawthorn 12 theater, Hawthorn has recently embarked on a comprehensive redevelopment that will transform the property from a traditional shopping center into a master-planned mixed-use development. This redevelopment, which represents the largest capital investment in the property since its grand opening nearly half a century ago, will redefine the customer experience and expand the center’s trade area by creating a new and distinctive sense of place that will continue to evolve with the community for generations to come. To learn more, visit the Hawthorn Mall website at www.ShopHawthornMall.com and follow the center on Facebook and Instagram.
Hawthorn Mall
122 Hawthorn Center
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
www.shophawthornmall.com
*This post is sponsored by Hawthorn Mall.