Merry Christmas from New Lenox Patch!

The holiday spirit was alive and well on New Lenox Patch this year, where we highlighted various lists and tips and our columnists focused on the holiday. So while you open gifts, spend time with family and gorge on the holiday feast, read below to get a recap of our Christmas coverage and the season that was.

Christmas in New Lenox

New Lenox  with its annual Christmas in the Commons event, which featured a visit from Santa and his reindeer, caroling, horse-drawn carriage rides and Christmas tree decorating. But let's be honest, the real Christmas rush began in the wee hours of the morning after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday. Shoppers in the Lincolnway area , and we tracked them throughout the day.

The Park District kept the spirit going with a revamped holiday lights contest, in which three winners were awarded. We posted a , along with the winners.

Planning Your Holiday

We also offered some lists to help you plan your holiday. Today, it's obviously a little late for things like our  or a take on . But if you want to check out last-minute  or see , we've got you covered. Finally, a list that can come in handy all year is . Remember, these places need help year-round, not just around the holidays.

Staying Safe and Prepared

Because the holidays are so much about giving and sharing, we wanted to share some tips of our own, or find local experts, to help you stay safe and prepared for the Christmas season. Safety is key, so the New Lenox Fire Protection District shared tips on . However, a nice controlled fire is a great way to stay warm during the holidays, so we got some  this season.

With parties abound this time of year, we also wanted to make sure you had the tips at your disposal to  and , or even  (or buy ones ). Finally, preserving these memories is key. That's why we got help from a professional photographer to share tips on  and decorations.

Christmas Columns

With so much to think about around the holidays, our columnists couldn't help but get in the spirit! Regular columnists who write about arts and entertainment, faith, food, parenting and volunteering put a holiday twist on their articles.

Our SouthScene column, which highlights arts events through the south suburbs, of course had some holiday events,   We also have a weekly food column that pits three local restaurants/groceries against each other to see which has the best of a certain type of food. This week? !

We also have two local pastors who write columns, and with faith being such a big part of Christmas, what else would they write about? Pastor Dustin Blumer wrote about  and Roy Worley wrote about 

John Petrosky writes about volunteers and their efforts and opportunities each week, and he wanted to  and even to help those you normally wouldn't. Our parenting columnist, Caroline Hoag, wrote about , and we also featured a column about  when getting a Christmas tree.

So with another year just about in the books, I hope you'll take a look back on our coverage and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!