Chicago Skydeck
I’m in my own personal snow globe. I’m 1,353ft up at Skydeck, atop Willis Tower, what for a quarter of a century was the world’s tallest building. I’m also 4ft out from the side in a glass box, The Ledge, in the middle of a cloud and it’s snowing a storm. Winter here in Chicago is a wonderland. When the cloud parts I can see white dappled skyscraper roofs and a wealth of twinkling Christmas lights, the chilly waters of lake Michigan stretching into the distance.
The Christkindlmarket
And they do Christmas properly here. The Christkindlmarket on Daley Plaza is a frenzy of gluwein drinking, pretzel eating and ornament buying, a world of wooden huts that would do Europe proud. In fact it’s run in conjunction with Nuremburg whose market dates back to the 16th century; this one has been ho-ho-hoing for nearly a quarter of a century and you’ll even find German stallholders
The previous evening Christmas was up and running with the official lighting, amid a crowd of thousands, of the city Christmas tree in Millennium Park, a 60-footer, donated by one of dozens of families who contest the right to have their own tree chopped down to cheer the city. The ceremony was hosted by Miguel Cervantes, star of the city’s production of the musical Hamilton, and involved Cozi Zuehlsdorff, star of Disney’s new Freaky Friday TV movie, alongside mayor Rahm Emanuel, once a bigwig in Bill Clinton’s presidential team. Nearby there’s jollity as crowds in mittens and mufflers tackle the Maggie Daley Ice Skating Ribbon, an oval track running through the trees.
The Magnificent Mile
Next night is even more Christmassy with thousands lining Michigan Avenue, known as the Magnificent Mile for its extravagant shops, for an hour-long parade involving those massive floating balloon characters, the biggest school bands you’ve ever seen, dozens of floats and, of course Santa. It ends with trees along the mile erupting into light before the skyscrapers act as a mirror backdrop to a firework spectacular.
