Downtown St. Charles is presently a whirlwind of festivities and cheer as the festival known as Christmas Traditions turns 40. From Nov. 28 through Christmas Eve, visitors can walk amongst the Legends of Christmas characters or partake in the new events commemorating this milestone.

Christmas Traditions is an event for all ages, especially families. Families can choose from roasting chestnuts by the fire, listening to the angelic voices of the Victorian carolers, shopping for presents in the quaint stores, taking a horse-pulled carriage ride, or collecting cards from the Legends of Christmas characters.

These historical characters bring the spirit of Christmas to life as they wander the brick streets, talking to and taking pictures with passers-by.

“As much as I love eating cookies and candy around Christmastime, I love coming down here and meeting all the different people. Like, there’s people who come from all over the place for this festival: people who live here, people who are from this weird place called Indiana where they eat lots of candy.

Anyway, people come from all over and it’s just a time for them to share their Christmas Traditions and see ours,” said Princess Penelope Plum, the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Land of the Sweets, claiming to be 8,000 years old.

Before waving her wand and walking away, the Sugar Plum Fairy handed us a card with her picture on the front and legend on the back. These cards are a popular event with the children, who run to and fro looking for the characters and trying to collect every card.

Being the 40th anniversary, it is a special year for Christmas Traditions and there are several new activities. At 7 p.m. on Dec. 18, the Legends of Christmas characters will meet at the Old Stone Chapel on Main Street for a Yuletide Dinner, open invitation. On Dec. 20 and 21, from 3-5 p.m., the Reindeer Flight Instructor will show off and tell stories about her Live Reindeer Pals.

A local event, the Christmas Traditions festival is unique to this region only.