If you are looking for cozy ways to incorporate the spirit of the season into your holidays, the Driehaus Museum offers a December Hygge book club. 

By JACQUELINE LEWIS

When the weather gets colder, the snow starts falling, and the days grow shorter, Chicago lights up with holiday cheer. From seasonal markets and festive exhibitions, there is no shortage of local art-community celebrations. Unique performances and exhibitions all offer an abundance of holiday art. Here we spotlight some tried-and-true classics alongside hidden gems, just a handful of what the city has to offer this time of year. 

The Driehaus Museum

During Drie-cember, the Driehaus Museum turns into a winter wonderland. The entire Gilded-Age mansion is extravagantly decked out in wreaths, lights, and holiday cheer. A visit to the Driehaus is a special seasonal stop for visitors who want to experience Chicago’s Christmastime best anytime, but also consider planning your visit around some specific holiday events on offer.

Visit December 4 and 5 to shop the Drie-Cember Market, when family-friendly shopping takes place in the museum’s historic Murphy Auditorium. Browse stalls full of vintage jewelry, handcrafted goods, and unique gifts for everyone on your list. To visit with Santa, join him in the front parlor for pictures the mornings of December 12 and 13.

For a slightly spooky Christmas tradition, join the Ghostlight Ensemble fireside at some of the Driehaus’s majestic hearths as the group revives the Victorian tradition of telling ghost stories at Yuletide with an immersive twist. This takes place December 10 and 11 in the evening.

Also planned: December 13 Carols and Cocoa with St. James Choristers, followed by a Third Wednesday Hygge on December 16 where you’re invited to get cozy during this Scandinavian, silent book club.

Nina Weiss' paintings are part of the Little Gems Small Works exhibition at Grove Gallery.

Studio 215 – Grove Gallery

Holiday art in the suburbs can be found at Grove Gallery in Evanston, which will host its annual Small Works Exhibition that brings together gallery artists for an inspiring display of unique paintings, drawings and prints perfect for holiday gift giving. Enjoy a special performance by Josefien Stopplenburg, Classical Sopranist. Funds raised support Evanstonmade, a local community-based arts association. This ongoing collaboration has raised over $5,000 for charities in the last two years. The show opens to the public on December 5.

There will be several musical performances throughout the run of this show, with one set for Sunday, December 20, 2–5pm featuring a joyful community singalong led by Stopplenberg. The artist’s exhibition will be showcased alongside this experience and include a festive market. 

The Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago’s red-wreathed lions on Michigan Ave. are an iconic image of the holidays in Chicago. To create their magic arrival on time, at 5am on the morning after Thanksgiving, museum groundskeepers ride bucket lifts up to the lions so the team can place the wreaths. Each wreath weighs around 250 pounds and takes three months to create by hand.

Once inside the Art Institute, visit Gallery 203 between November 21–January 4, 2027 to catch the 18th Century Neapolitan Crèche (Nativity Scene) that tells the story of Jesus Christ’s birth using over 200 painted terracotta figures staged in an environment inspired by 18th century Naples.

Due to the very fragile state of the original silk embroidery costumes on the figurines, this Baroque masterpiece can only be on view for a few weeks of the year. 

In the lower level of the Art Institute you’ll find another annual tradition on display. For decades the Thorne Miniature Rooms, given by Chicagoan Narcissa Thorne, have delighted generations of visitors. This time of year you can take a scavenger hunt to find the beautifully decorated holiday room as well as a beautiful gothic church miniature that calls to mind a Christmas mass.

Jackson Junge – J2 Gallery

Jackson Junge Gallery’s annual Holiday Market returns November 21 and runs until Christmas. Every weekend at the gallery between 12–7pm you can check out two to four different vendors. The market is a great source for handmade gifts for that white elephant or Secret Santa gift exchange, as well as personal gifts and stocking stuffers. 

J2 also has a Holiday Market Table set up throughout the season that changes weekly and offers work from in-house artists alongside surprises left by guest artists throughout the year. 

The gallery also extends a yearly sale on prints and reproductions, with rare deals on frames and framing between 20–70% off.

ART on THE MART

From November 19–December 27 bundle up to enjoy The Joffrey Ballet’s Nutcracker projected onto THE MART (formerly known as the Merchandise Mart) and listen to the classical holiday sounds from Tchaikovsky’s famous score. Grab a hot cocoa nearby, stroll over to the Chicago Riverwalk and get a taste of Chicago’s world-renowned ballet company through this multimedia holiday experience.

Art on THE MART is one of the world’s largest digital art platforms. By displaying cutting-edge video mapping techniques across the 2.5-acre facade of THE MART, this experience is a shining example of Chicago’s longstanding commitment to public art. 

Once you get a taste of the magic, grab tickets to see the real thing at the Lyric Opera House. Did you know in 2024 Christopher Wheeldon reimagined The Joffrey’s Nutcracker to take place at the 1892 Chicago World’s Fair?

Randolph Street Market offers festive items for your Christmas tree as well as something unique and vintage to wear to your holiday party.

Randolph Street Holiday Market

The Randolph Street Holiday Market returns for another year of highly curated vintage, artisanal, handcrafted, globally sourced goods. Here you can find party outfits, special furniture, holiday decorations and plenty of vintage or one-of-a-kind gifts. In addition to 125 unique dealers, the experience is not just a market but a holiday event in itself. Come to shop as well as listen to DJs, visit food vendors, take a break in the sports bar or visit the Little Elves Workshop.

This year the market runs 10am–5pm on November 14 and 15, and on December 12 and 13. This time of year the event is indoors-only and parking is available on site. 

Chicago Printmakers Collective

Chicago Printmakers Collective is planning another Small Print Show & Holiday Sale, opening the first week of December. This show will feature the finest new work from Chicago Printmakers Collective members, gallery artists, and faculty. Works are flown in from all over the world making this show a chance for all art enthusiasts to be inspired.

An opening party takes place December 5 and 6, 11am–7pm both days. Guests can shop both days while enjoying delicious snacks and hot cocoa to put everyone in the holiday spirit. After the party CPC offers gallery hours December 8–22. The exhibition runs through February 28.

Pullman National Historic Park

Every holiday season, Pullman National Historic Park on Chicago’s South Side turns into a winter destination for lights and festivity. If you are looking to visit a beautiful holiday spot outside of the Michigan Ave. crowds, this is it. 

For one night only, Pullman’s historic homes, dressed in their holiday best, open their doors by candlelight for an evening of cheer. Visit Pullman National Historic Park for their Candlelight Tour of Historic Pullman on December 13, starting at 4pm when you can stroll through decorated homes before warming up with a warm cider or wassail and enjoying a mouth-watering selection of irresistible homemade desserts. 

Lucky visitors might also come away with one-of-a-kind treasures from Pullman’s silent auction offering rare Pullman memorabilia.

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With all the hustle and bustle of the season, take some time to enjoy the celebrations while knowing you are also supporting Chicago artists, local vendors and small businesses along the way. 

Visit Chicagogallerynews.com throughout the season to find other festive exhibitions and events.