HOLIDAY EVENT TRACES ITS ROOTS TO WORLD WAR II
Museum of Science and Industry’s holiday highlight has a big birthday.
Christmas Around the World, a beloved Chicago holiday tradition, is marking 80 years this December. A good time to note its little known connection to World War II.
Featuring over 50 Christmas trees, each representing a nation from around the world, this cherished holiday exhibit launched in 1942 with just one tree dedicated to soldiers fighting in World War II. That very first tree was decorated every day for 12 days as a wartime tribute to the Allies. Every day, the tree paid tribute to one of 12 countries fighting alongside America during the war. During the challenging time of war and sacrifice the trees reminded visitors of our connectedness, and, despite our differences, that working together peace is a reachable goal.
The tradition now
Today, the many festive trees are decorated by volunteers from Chicago-based cultural organizations, with each tree representing a country from around the globe. Bouncing kangaroos and a napping koala decorate the Australia tree, while the Belize tree is adorned with wooden doves, painted white to symbolize peace. La Befana, an elderly, witchlike woman, the Italian female equivalent of Santa Claus, hides among the branches of the Italy tree. Korea’s tree is covered in handmade paper ornaments. The doll ornaments on the Kenya tree wear colorful, traditional Kenyan clothing. Different colored flags and placards highlight the cultural significance of the ornaments and holiday traditions showcased on each tree.
At the center of the exhibit, the 45-foot-tall grand tree, one of the tallest holiday trees in Chicago, rises four stores in the rotunda to the top of the museum’s central dome. Festive holiday music adds merriment to the twinkling tree scene, and “snow” falling every half hour on the museum’s Main Floor adds to the aura of a winter wonderland.
The museum hosts Christmas Around the World from mid November to early January.
Opening day for its 80th year is Nov. 16. It will honor the occasion with a special grand tree lighting ceremony hosted by Chance the Rapper and Santa Claus. Additionally, the museum’s popular Art of the Brick exhibit will be extended with new Lego sculptures representing the 12 days of Christmas. More than 30,000 lights and hundreds of ornaments and trimmings will festoon this year’s celebratory grand tree.
Cue the lights
Located among the trees throughout the Museum’s Main Floor, Holidays of Light, now celebrating its 28th year, is yet another exhibit that highlights holiday traditions from around the world. With a focus on the holidays that honor light or enlightenment, including Chinese New Year, Diwali, Kwanzaa, Ramadan,
Hanukkah, Visakha Puja Day, and St. Lucia Day, Holidays of Light features volunteer-designed and constructed showcases containing symbolic objects that highlight these traditional light-filled celebrations.
“After a couple of years not being able to celebrate Christmas Around the World and Holiday of Lights appropriately due to the pandemic, we are excited to bring people together once again to celebrate this local Chicago tradition,” said Peter Vega, the Museum of Science and Industry’s Deputy Director of Communications and Engagement. “This community-driven event has always been a global celebration of Chicago’s diversity and a beloved local tradition.”
Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light open on Wednesday, Nov. 16, and will run through Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. For advance tickets, visit msichicago.org.
More to see
Housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, the Museum of Science of Industry is home to the Apollo 8 command module, a full-size replica coal mine, a baby chick hatchery, and even a German submarine, the U-505.
Since it opened to the public in 1933, just in time for the second world fair hosted in Chicago, the Century of Progress Exposition, the museum has welcomed thousands of visitors from Chicago and beyond.