Holiday, with twist
Crete Country Christmas puts revelers in the drivers seat and on treasure hunt
“We’re trying to keep some festivities going with social distancing in mind.”
— Pat Polzin, Crete Country Christmas committee member
There will be no Parade of Lights over theweekend in Crete, though lights of a different sort will shine as the decadeslong tradition of Crete Country Christmas adapts to the limitations of the pandemic.
Along with the parade, the ice sculptures, Christmas Lodge and other attractions that annually draw thousands to the downtown are on hiatus. But event organizers are premiering an auto tour of decorated homes and a “Gnome for the Holidays” treasure hunt.
Other traditional offerings are sticking around, such as Kriss Kringle’s personalized letters to children. And the Reindog Competition, featuring animals in Yuletide attire is being replaced this year by a photo competition.
Also returning is the popular Memorial Lights Ceremony, which traditionally has signaled the end of the weekendlong event.
This year, the ceremony will kick off the weekend at 5:30 p.m. Friday with a livestreamed display of lights, memorial reading of names and tree lighting ceremony.
Crete Country Christmas committee member Pat Polzin acknowledged COVID-19 precautions forced the 2020 event to be “scaled down,” but said the committee decided to move the Memorial Lights Ceremony to the beginning of the weekend prior to the pandemic.
Nearing its 30th year, the mostly free Crete Country Christmas was begun in 1991 by downtown merchants as an end-ofthe-year attraction. In the late 1990s an independent committee of approximately 25 volunteers took over organizing, with support from the village and the Crete Area Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re trying to keep some festivities going with social distancing in mind,” said Polzin, who retires as Crete Park District’s executive director at the end of the year.
Rather than the Parade of Lights, spectators are get to be in the drivers seat for “Light up Crete for the Holidays,” a mapped motor tour that draws on the decorating talents of Crete residents.
The “Gnome for the Holidays” treasure hunt involves 20 gift bags containing small items that, when combined together, will all fit in a 9x10 inch gift bag hidden in different outside locations around the village, with photo clues provided on the event’s social media pages.
In addition, Mother Theresa Academy, at the village’s east end, will display a set of decorated trees.
More information is at cretecountrychristmas.com.