Thanksgiving Day - the day of the year where you get to enjoy a lovely meal surrounded by your closest family and friends, reflecting on all the things to be thankful for. In St. Charles, IL there is not only a lot that we can appreciate, but also a variety of ways you can honor the occasion. Whether you're looking to dine-out or stay-in for Thanksgiving dinner, need a gift to bring to a party, or if you're just simply trying to build a new Thanksgiving tradition, this town has got you covered! Take a look below at some great ideas on how to spend this holiday.
No-Hassle Thanksgiving Dinners
Photos Courtesy of Cooper's Hawk
This Thanksgiving, why deal with all the hassle and the stress of cooking an elegant feast, when Cooper's Hawk will do it for you! They are offering a "heat & serve" Thanksgiving dinner for six that includes all the courses you could want, and the best part is, all you have to focus on Thanksgiving morning is watching the Macy's Day Parade and getting ready for football. Reservations are going fast, so be sure to place your order today. Orders must be made by Friday, November 17th, and is based on available quantity. Wine for the meal is sold separately. Please click here to view the menu and to place your order.
Photo #1 Courtesy of Hotel Baker, Photo #2 Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography
What better way to spend your Thanksgiving meal than at the historic, waterfront Hotel Baker! They are once again hosting their beloved Thanksgiving Day Dinner Buffet, with an impressive spread that does this holiday justice. From entrees including braised short ribs, and fall cider glazed, age butter roasted young turkey to other traditional favorites including pumpkin pie and cranberry orange sauce, they have options for everyone! To view the complete buffet menu and to find information on reservations, please click here.
Photo #1 Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography, Photo #2 Courtesy of Mio Modo
Side-step the headache of having all your friends and family gather at your home this year and let Mio Modo take care of all the heavy lifting for you! You can click here to make your Thanksgiving reservations for you and your loved ones, for a dining experience that will leave you with fond memories the holiday. From 11am to 8pm, you can enjoy a Thanksgiving buffet that will leave your stomach full and your taste buds happy. During the day, they'll have Thanksgiving features, too! So, let Mio Modo worry about the planning of the holiday this year, that way, all you have to focus on is grabbing your next plate of food!
Photos Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography
Another fan-favorite Thanksgiving Day traditional feast to-go is St. Charles Steakhouse's. You can make your pre-order now, and pick it up curbside on Thursday, November 23rd from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm. To view their menu, please click here. If you want to avoid dealing with hosting all together, you can also enjoy your Thanksgiving meal from the comfort of their dining room, where they will be having a special Thanksgiving Day menu (that you can view here) where you can enjoy the atmosphere of the classic supper club.
Thanksgiving Gifts
Bring a Treat from the St. Charles Arts Council's Dessert Auction
Photo #1 Courtesy of the St. Charles Arts Council, Photo #2 Courtesy of The Graceful Ordinary
One of the very best things about Thanksgiving is all the incredible desserts you get to enjoy after your turkey feast. There's nothing quite like concluding your dinner with a nice, big slice of pumpkin pie! If you are going to be a guest at Thanksgiving this year, go to the St. Charles Arts Council's 2nd Annual Dessert Auction on November 20th at The Graceful Ordinary. You'll not only be able to bid on a variety of desserts made by notable pastry chefs from the area, but you'll also get a Champagne toast, hors d'oeuvres, and a "Thank You" goodie bag! This is the perfect treat to bring to a party so that you don't show up empty handed. You can register for the event here.
Gift a Bottle of Wine from The Wine Exchange
Photo #1 Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography, Photo #2 Courtesy of The Wine Exchange
Thanksgiving is a time of celebration; a time that you can look back at all your blessings from the past year amongst your family and friends. When you show up at your Thanksgiving Day event, bring a bottle of wine that you can use to fuel the celebration with everyone in attendance. The Wine Exchange has an extensive selection of wines that are ideal for an occasion like this, and their expert staff can help you in choosing the right bottle to get! IF you are interested in learning more about the world of wine, they even offer a Wine Club Membership that you can get so that you can attend their Saturday Wine Club Tasting Events, get discounts on purchase, and much more.
Surprise the Host with Products from Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. or MION Artisan Soap
Photo #1 Courtesy of MION Artisan Soap, Photo #2 Courtesy of Magnolia Soap & Bath Co.
It's that time of year again - party and gathering season! As a gracious host, it's important to ensure that your home is in tip-top shape for visitors. Why not gift the host with a thoughtful present for their home? Candles and soaps are great options that can be purchased at local stores like Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. and MION Artisan Soap. These shops use only the finest quality ingredients and offer an array of irresistible scents. Your host will be delighted with this thoughtful gift, which they will be able to start using immediately for the remainder of their holiday parties.
St. Charles Thanksgiving Sales & Specials
Photo #1 Courtesy of Alter Brewing + Kitchen, Photo #2 Courtesy of Flower of Life Yoga & Wellness Center
Throughout the town, many local businesses are having sales, specials, and promotions in honor of Thanksgiving. Many of these are offering perfect products that work great as a gift for a host, plenty of fun dining options, and much more. Please click here to view more Thanksgiving sales and specials that you can take advantage of this holiday season.
What Winter Activity in St. Charles Are You Most Excited For?
Ice Skating at Lincoln Park
Sledding at a Local Park
Snowshoeing at a Forest Preserve
Getting Your Photo Taken with Santa Claus
Start a New Tradition
The Evergreen Pub & Grill's 8th Annual Turkey Bowl
Photos Courtesy of The Evergreen Pub & Grill
Taking place on November 19th, you can join The Evergreen Pub & Grill for their 8th Annual Turkey Bowl! This event is loads of fun, as you will need to build teams of 4 people to try and bowl a real frozen turkey to knock down bowling pins (yes, you read that right, a real frozen turkey). You can even watch this whacky activity on their Facebook here. This is a great way to dive into the spirit of Thanksgiving, as all the fees goes to benefit a great cause - Project Mobility and their mission. We even had the chance to speak to a couple of the owners at Evergreen Pub & Grill about their business and this event recently on the What's Up St. Charles Podcast that you can listen to here. So, what are you waiting for? Grab some of your closest friends to start assembling your team, and then get out there to work on your aim! Find more information on this event here.
Photos Courtesy of All Community Events
Before you dive into your Thanksgiving feast and lounge around watching all the NFL action, start your day off with a bit of exercise by participating in the Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk! Starting at the St. Charles North High School at 8:30am, you'll have the opportunity to get your heartrate up by trying to hit a personal best! Participants will have their choice of commemorative event gear, and Kuiper's donuts will be waiting for you at the finish line for some extra motivation. Plus, this race is for a wonderful cause, too! Proceeds goes to support Big Hearts of Fox Valley and their mission. So, not only will you be doing your part for this great cause, but you'll also have a blast having an active morning that will surely turn into an annual tradition. You can find more information and register for the Turkey Trot 5k Run/Walk here.
Play Pick-Up Football at a Local Park
Photos Courtesy of the St. Charles Park District
One of the more popular family traditions to take part in on Thanksgiving is playing a fun game of pick-up football with your loved ones! St. Charles, IL makes it easy to join in on this activity, as there are plenty of parks with extensive fields that work perfectly as your gridiron, like the East Side Sports Complex or James O. Breen Community Park. If you need to grab a new football or some flags for flag football, you can find some gently used ones at Play It Again Sports. This is a great way to show off your skills on the field before watching the pros do it on National Television, while simultaneously building up that appetite so you can enjoy more food at your Thanksgiving feast.
With Thanksgiving coming right around the corner, it's time to get a start on all your holiday shopping! On November 25th and November 26th, the St. Charles Shop Crawl will be taking place. This year, 19 shops will be participating, offering great products, great deals, and a great time. Find more details here.
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