Murphysboro Hometown Christmas

We want to take a moment to thank all of our wonderful corporate partners and Not-So-Secret Santas! We absolutely couldn't do what we do without you, and we are so grateful!

Thank you for loving Murphysboro!

Please support our LOCAL businesses! They are the backbone of our community and of all the wonderful events our town has to offer! We are lucky to have them and it is so important to support them this holiday season and all year long!

Can you help us show these businesses some love and SHARE this post!?!

Thanks for joining us at our Eat, Drink, Be Merry & Paint Night sponsored by The First Bank and Trust Company of Murphysboro! We hope you had as much fun as we did! Big thanks to Paula J. Voss-Maloney for sharing her talents with us and leading our paint night!

Don’t forget to register for our 2nd annual Gingerbread House Contest!

Get out those sprinkles and peppermints, whip up that frosting, and let's build those houses!

Registration link is below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQdIEQ9tuBPidJQsAfpJIggDil_gSpGc3UFH6L_krbLlar9w/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

Very few tickets for our Let’s Eat, Drink, Be Merry & Paint event - Sponsored by The First Bank and Trust Company of Murphysboro are still available. Grab yours now!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eat-drink-be-merry-paint-tickets-750286135027?aff=oddtdtcreator

Who is ready for Breakfast with Santa Sponsored By Whimsey Photography!?

Tickets are on sale NOW and are very limited...so don't wait!!!!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/767179353097?aff=oddtdtcreator

Thank you to Whimsey Photography for sponsoring this event!

It's officially CHRISTMAS in Murphysboro! We have the bushes and trees lit, our town Christmas tree ready to shine bright and our events are in full swing! Our 7th Annual Murphysboro Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is almost here! Please join us THIS FRIDAY night at 6 P.M. to help us light our tree! Here are some important details you'll want to know!

🎄 Big thanks to our hometown pros, Kenneth and April Reiman and Family, for helping us light this year’s Christmas Tree! We appreciate your help!

🎄 We will have carriage rides behind the library, sponsored by The First Bank and Trust Company of Murphysboro. Tickets are $3 per person and are sold in advance, until sold out. Ticket sales start at 5:30 P.M. Carriages will run from 6PM - 9PM. Look for the tent between the Youth Center building and the Library.

🎄 We will have food vendors on-site, ready to serve you dinner! Please plan on arriving early and having dinner before we get started. Pat's BBQ and Catering, Whiffle Boy's Pizza, and One Hot Cookie Bakery & Catering Company will be there with some yummy, LOCAL food options!

🎄 Brews Brothers Taproom will be providing us with some yummy hot chocolate!

🎄 We will start our ceremony at 6 P.M.

🎄 No Parking will be allowed along Pine Street behind the library and event center, or along 19th Street between Pine and Elm Street. This is our Carriage Route and we will need to make sure there's plenty of space for our carriages to pass on these streets.

🎄 Our wonderful Murphysboro Police Association and Murphysboro Fire Department will be on-site with FREE donuts and popcorn (while supplies last). Please stop by and see them and thank them for serving our community!

🎄 Santa himself will be joining us and hanging out at his Cottage all evening for photos and visits. Plan on bringing your phone or camera for pictures!

🎄 We have our amazing MHS Concert Choir and Crimson Express Brass Ensemble entertaining us for the evening so be sure to stick around and listen to these hometown kids!

🎄 The Youth Center building and parking lot will be full of fun, free kids activities, including crafts, games, face painting and balloon artists - sponsored by Koberstein Clarke, Ltd. and Brandon Byars

🎄 If you're able, please consider helping our board with clean up and tear down at the end of our event. We work really hard and plan nearly all year long for these wonderful events and they take a lot of work! We would greatly appreciate some extra help at the end of our evening! :)

Cookies with Mrs. Claus was a blast! We hope you had as much fun as we did! 🧑🏻‍🎄

Thank you to Murphysboro Smile Design for sponsoring the event, Murphysboro Elks Lodge #572 for hosting and Striking Designs Screenprinting & Signs for screenprinting the adorable aprons!

Thanks for joining us!

There are a VERY LIMITED NUMBER of tickets left for our Cookies with Mrs. Claus event on Sunday, November 26th!

Thank you to our event sponsor, Murphysboro Smile Design for helping us make this event possible!

Also, thank you Striking Designs Screenprinting & Signs for the cute screen printing on the aprons we'll be able to provide at this event.

Get your tickets here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/748179504037?aff=oddtdtcreator

It takes a village and we have the best!! ❤️

🔴 Thank you to the City of Murphysboro and Chris Fox for delivering our tree.

🟢 Thank you to Freedom Towing & Recovery, LLC for helping us get it lifted, watered, and ready for lights.

🔴 Thank you to Wright Building Center for the donation of the lift.

🟢 Thank you to Kenneth and April Reiman and family for getting the lights on.

We can’t wait to see everyone Friday, December 1 at 6pm at Carl Lee Park when we turn those lights on! 🎄

Snowflake Square - The Giving Shop is returning this year! Our 5th year and we couldn't be more grateful for your support. We've already had so many reaching out to ask how they can help.

Here's a little backstory on how our Shop was born...

In 2019, we realized there was a need not being met in our own community. Don't get us wrong here. There are a lot of amazing programs out there that provide Christmas gifts for families that need help. So many amazing, irreplaceable programs. But, what about the parents? The parents that want to have special gifts for their kids on Christmas morning sitting under the tree. Gifts they got to pick out themselves. What about the families that don't make it onto other program lists because they haven't had a need before now. They've hit a rough patch and it happened during the worst time, the holidays. They've never had to ask for help. They probably don't even know how. . . . .

Snowflake Square - The Giving Shop was born.

We work closely with school social workers, who work closely with our teachers, and together, we identify families that could benefit from Snowflake Square.

Then, we reach out and ask for donations to help fill our “Shop”. Some folks donate actual toys and items, some donate cash, checks or gift cards. We use those funds to purchase items for specific categories we are lacking in.

Come December, we literally set up Shop. We set up tables that are overflowing with toys, books and stuffed animals. We allow those selected parents to come, by appointment, and shop for their children. We have volunteers on site to help them look for the perfect gifts for each of their kids. Keep in mind, their kids aren't with them, so they get to shop for these gifts knowing they could surprise them on Christmas morning. Our volunteers stand by and wait until they’ve picked out all of their gifts, then we wrap them up and label them just perfectly before sending them on their way.

We get to chat with the parents as they shop, They are thankful. So thankful and happy. We talk to moms, dads, grandmas. We learn about their kids, and can imagine their faces waking up to that new football or baby doll. But we can also see the joy in the parent’s faces, right there in front of us, knowing they get to share that same excitement on Christmas morning getting to surprise their sweet kiddos with a hand-picked gift.

Our hearts literally grow right then and there. Snowflake Square surpassed our expectations the last four years and we couldn’t have done it without you. Without your donations, your support, your volunteering. It wouldn’t have come to life without Murphysboro hearing us and taking action.

So here we go again, Murphysboro....

If you have like-new toys or books laying around, please consider donating them to this great cause. If you have the ability to offer a monetary donation or gift card, please consider reaching out to us. If you can, pick up a few of the items from the list below and consider dropping them off for us. We know Murphysboro will show up for us again this year and help us spread some Christmas cheer!

This year, we're also taking online donations. You can go to our website below and purchase a Snowflake Square donation. These donations will be used to purchase additional items needed to fill our Shop.

https://www.murphysboromainstreet.com/product-page/donation-to-murphysboro-hometown-christmas

👉🏻Drop Off Locations:

Modern Office Connections

Brews Brothers Taproom

Any MHC event

Contact a Board Member

Mail to MHC, PO Box 1512 Murphysboro, IL 62966

👉🏻Donation Ideas:
Sports items
Art Supplies
Craft Kits
Baby Dolls
Barbies
Action Figures
Headphones
Earbuds
Hygiene Kits - boys and girls
Make-Up
Jewelry
Bath & Body Works
Mp3 Player
Blankets
Board Games
LED lights for bedrooms
Salt Lamp

📣Please help us spread the word by sharing! 📣

Murphysboro Hometown Christmas would like to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving! We are so very thankful for this amazing town and the wonderful people in it ❤️

Entry is now open for the Murphysboro Hometown Christmas 2nd annual Gingerbread House Contest!

We can't wait to see how creative you are, Murphysboro! So, get out those sprinkles and peppermints, whip up that frosting, and let's build those houses!

Houses will be on display for public viewing and voting Saturday, December 16th from 9:30am-2:00pm on the middle level of the Murphysboro Event Center. Viewing is free. Be sure to stop by and vote for your favorite!

- $5 entry fee to compete
- You may enter as an individual or team
- Three entry groups 1. Adult (18&older) Youth (11-17) Child (5-10)
- Three entry categories 1. Traditional 2. Non-Traditional 3. Local Landmarks
- Entry form must be complete by Friday, December 6th, 2023
- Completed houses must be delivered to the Murphysboro Event Center on Friday, December 15th between 3:00pm-6:00pm
- Judging will take place Saturday, December 16th
- First Place Prize awarded for each category and People's Choice
- Complete Rules outlined in the entry form

Registration link is below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQdIEQ9tuBPidJQsAfpJIggDil_gSpGc3UFH6L_krbLlar9w/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

Tickets for our Let’s Eat, Drink, Be Merry & Paint event - Sponsored by First Bank & Trust Company of Murphysboro are on sale NOW!!

Very limited quantities! Order your tickets here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eat-drink-be-merry-paint-tickets-750286135027?aff=oddtdtcreator

We hope you enjoyed the first Workshop on Walnut as much as we did! 🎄

Thank you to City Hope Church for sponsoring the event and Small Town Scoop for hosting!

A huge thank you to Small Town Sawdust for leading our workshop and donating ornaments for each child to decorate to be sent with a Christmas letter from each participant to the residents of Prairie Living at Chautauqua! ❤️

Join us TODAY for our brand new event, Workshop on Walnut! There are a VERY LIMITED NUMBER of tickets left, don’t miss out on this exciting afternoon!

Workshop on Walnut is a Christmas Craft Event for kids ages 8 and up.

Join us on at Small Town Scoops today from 2pm-4pm! Thank you to City Hope Church for sponsoring this fun event and to Small Town Scoops for graciously donating your party room to host this event!

Tickets for this event can be purchased via Eventbrite via this link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/750345853647?aff=oddtdtcreator

Santa is SO excited for Christmas in Murphysboro but, he insisted we pause decorating his cottage to cheer on his boys first! Let’s go Murphy!! ❤️💛❤️💛

We are so excited for our MHC market tomorrow! We just had to share a few sneak peaks! Make sure you join us at Canning Auction Service from 9-5! A $3 entry fee at the door helps support MHC and helps us light up our town!

Check out these awesome vendors!

There are a VERY LIMITED NUMBER of tickets left for our Workshop on Walnut event!

Workshop on Walnut is a Christmas Craft Event for kids ages 8 and up.

Join us on Sunday, November 19th from 2:00pm-4:00pm at Small Town Scoops for our first ever Workshop on Walnut! Thank you to City Hope Church for sponsoring this fun event and to Small Town Scoops for graciously donating your party room to host this event!

Children 8 and up are invited to spend an afternoon creating a Christmas craft and fun memories! Kayla from Small Town Sawdust will be here to lead the kids in their crafting adventure! Each child will leave with a Christmas craft and finish off their day with a yummy ice cream treat! This event is limited to the first 30 registrants.

Tickets for this event can be purchased via Eventbrite via this link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/750345853647?aff=oddtdtcreator

Saturday is going to be a great day in the Boro! Stop by our Christmas market between 9am and 5pm at Canning Auction Barn to shop local vendors, support Murphysboro Hometown Christmas, and get some Christmas shopping done too! Then head over to Doc Bencini field in your red and gold to cheer on our boys in their Semi-final game!

TODAY is the last day to order your Murphysboro Hometown Christmas gear! Get your orders in now. The store closes at NOON. 🎄🍎

Orders are pick-up only, drive-thru style, on Thursday 11/30. More details on this will be sent to you with your order confirmation email.

Happy shopping!

https://www.murphysboromainstreet.com/shop

Time is running out to get your orders in. The Gingerbread General Store closes TOMORROW Thursday, November 16th, at noon. Don’t miss out, order now!

The Gingerbread General Store is officially OPEN!!!
We're so excited to show you our MHC swag for this year! We have a lot of different options for each shirt including tshirts, sweatshirts and baseball tees. Just click on the design you like and a drop down menu is available. This shopping link closes on Thursday, November 16th at Noon, so don't wait to get your order in! We want to make sure we have orders distributed prior to our Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Orders are pick-up only, drive-thru style, on Thursday 11/30. More details on this will be sent to you with your order confirmation email.

Happy shopping!

https://www.murphysboromainstreet.com/shop

Are you as excited as we are??? We are only days away for our Christmas market! Stop by Canning Auction Sale Barn this Saturday between 9am-5pm to shop our awesome vendors and support Murphysboro Hometown Christmas. We can’t wait to see you!

Having trouble keeping up with all the excitement? Here’s a quick recap of everything going on so far!🎄❤️

Cookies with Mrs. Claus tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/748179504037?aff=oddtdtcreator

Workshop on Walnut tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/750345853647?aff=oddtdtcreator

Murphysboro Hometown Christmas gear is available here: https://www.murphysboromainstreet.com/shop

Make sure you have your notifications turned on for Murphysboro Hometown Christmas so you don’t miss a thing!! Lots more to come! 🎄

The Gingerbread General Store is officially OPEN!!!
We're so excited to show you our MHC swag for this year! We have a lot of different options for each shirt including tshirts, sweatshirts and baseball tees. Just click on the design you like and a drop down menu is available. This shopping link closes on Thursday, November 16th at Noon, so don't wait to get your order in! We want to make sure we have orders distributed prior to our Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Orders are pick-up only, drive-thru style, on Thursday 11/30. More details on this will be sent to you with your order confirmation email.

Happy shopping!

https://www.murphysboromainstreet.com/shop

📢 MAY WE HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE! 📢

Murphysboro Hometown Christmas is proud to present:

🎄 WORKSHOP ON WALNUT! 🎄

Workshop on Walnut is a Christmas Craft Event for kids ages 8 and up.

Join us on Sunday, November 19th from 2:00pm-4:00pm at Small Town Scoops for our first ever Workshop on Walnut! Thank you to City Hope Church for sponsoring this fun event and to Small Town Scoops for graciously donating your party room to host this event!

Children 8 and up are invited to spend an afternoon creating a Christmas craft and fun memories! Kayla from Small Town Sawdust will be here to lead the kids in their crafting adventure! Each child will leave with a Christmas craft and finish off their day with a yummy ice cream treat! This event is limited to the first 30 registrants.

Tickets for this event can be purchased via Eventbrite via this link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/750345853647?aff=oddtdtcreator

Hey Murphysboro….anyone up for a brand new kids' event?!? We have been working hard on something very exciting and can’t wait to tell you all about it…..TOMORROW when we post all the details and the link to tickets too! Keep and eye on our page and set an alarm for 7pm! Until then, here’s a little sneak peek!

Tickets for the 4th Annual Cookies with Mrs. Claus event are on sale now!! 🤶🏻

Link to purchase below. 👇🏻

Join us on Sunday, November 26th at the Murphysboro Elks Lodge for the 4th annual, Cookies with Mrs. Claus event! Thank you to Murphysboro Smile Design for sponsoring this event and to the Murphysboro Elks lodge for graciously donating their reception hall & kitchen to host the event.

Children ages 5+ are invited to spend an afternoon with Mrs. Claus learning to make, bake, and decorate cookies! Each child will leave with fresh baked cookies, an apron with printing courtesy of Striking Designs Screenprinting, a cookie cutter, and more! All children must be accompanied by an adult. The cost of the event is $25 per child. (One adult per child. Admission for adult is free.) This event is limited to the first 50 registrants.

Tickets for this event can be purchased via Eventbrite via this link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/748179504037?aff=oddtdtcreator