If SPARK and Welcome to Weekends is helping you have great weekends, share your experience on Facebook @sparkhd and Instagram @sparkhd and use #sparkweekend to show what you have been doing. I hope you keep having wonderful weekends!
Have a Merry Christmas
2020 may have been a difficult year, but don’t let that stop you from celebrating the birth of Christ. Safely get together with family and have a Merry Christmas! Try setting up a video call to see high risk family members or those who live too far away to safely see in person. From the spark HD family to yours, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas.
Have a happy New Year
The year 2020 ends this Thursday (December 31), so get ready to say goodbye to a difficult year and hello to a new one. Happy New Year!
Watch Soul
On Christmas (Friday December 25), Disney and Pixar are releasing Soul on Disney+. Set up a Group Watch with family and friends and celebrate the Christmas holiday together.
Watch Wonder Woman: 1984
After several changed release dates due to the pandemic, Wonder Woman: 1984 will be released to theatres and HBO Max this Christmas (Friday December 25).
Ice Skating at Millennium Park
Millennium Park’s outdoor ice-skating rinks are opening up once again for the Holiday season. The McCormick Tribune Rink is a traditional oval shape perfect for beginners. The Ribbon, located at Maggie Daily Park, is a long circular path with level, uphill, and downhill skating for a slightly more experienced skater although beginners are welcome to try. Skates may be rented for $16-20 a pair, but bring your own, and it’s completely free of charge. Due to COVID-19, there will be limited capacity. Go to maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/skating-ribbon/ to make your reservations now or to learn more about skating downtown.
https://sparkhd.fm/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Christmas-spark-2020-website-banner.png5001600Sarah Breinighttps://live-sparkhd.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/SparkTopLogo-copy.jpgSarah Breinig2020-12-24 11:46:172020-12-24 11:47:17Spark Welcome to Weekends by Sarah Breinig
If SPARK and Welcome to Weekends is helping you have great weekends, share your experience on Facebook @sparkhd and Instagram @sparkhd and use #sparkweekend to show what you have been doing. I hope you keep having wonderful weekends!
Make a Christmas Ornament
Since many traditional Christmas activities are canceled due to COVID-19, why not do something from home to celebrate the season? Try making your own decorations this year. Go to https://www.housebeautiful.com/entertaining/holidays-celebrations/g2818/homemade-christmas-ornaments/ for a bunch of ideas. My personal favorite is a little yarn hat ornament on slide 4. Slide 12 shows you how to make simple but elegant paper ornaments.
Watch Kindergarten Cop
On Monday (December 21), Kindergarten Cop turns 30 years old. Join in the fun as Arnold Schwarzenegger, a gritty cop, is assigned to find and protect a dangerous criminal’s ex-wife, but the only way to do that is to go undercover as a teacher in a kindergarten classroom. You can watch Kindergarten Cop on Hulu and Amazon Prime or rent/buy on YouTube. To learn some trivia about the film, visit https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099938/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2.
Go caroling
Even though the Christmas season looks different this year, you can still celebrate the season with your family by caroling. Use Go Caroling Day, which is this Sunday (December 20) as an excuse to get outside and share some Christmas joy!
Look on the bright side
Monday (December 21) is Look on the Bright Side Day. 2020 has been an unusual and difficult year for everyone, and it can be easy to look at it negatively. Use this day to reflect on all of the good things that have come from this year. For example during quarantine, you probably learned a new skill or got in touch with a friend who hadn’t talked to in a while.
Ice Skating at Millennium Park
Millennium Park’s outdoor ice-skating rinks are opening up once again for the Holiday season. The McCormick Tribune Rink is a traditional oval shape perfect for beginners. The Ribbon, located at Maggie Daily Park, is a long circular path with level, uphill, and downhill skating for a slightly more experienced skater although beginners are welcome to try. Skates may be rented for $16-20 a pair, but bring your own, and it’s completely free of charge. Due to COVID-19, there will be limited capacity. Go to maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/skating-ribbon/ to make your reservations now or to learn more about skating downtown.
https://sparkhd.fm/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Welcome-To-Weekends-graphic-e1551990668320.jpg340650Sarah Breinighttps://live-sparkhd.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/SparkTopLogo-copy.jpgSarah Breinig2020-12-17 11:15:252020-12-17 11:15:25Spark Welcome to Weekends by Sarah Breinig
If SPARK and Welcome to Weekends is helping you have great weekends, share your experience on Facebook @sparkhd and Instagram @sparkhd and use #sparkweekend to show what you have been doing. I hope you keep having wonderful weekends!
Visit the Museum of Science and Industry virtually
Since the Museum of Science and Industry closed for COVID safety, they decided to still host virtual tours of their Christmas Around the World and Holiday of Lights exhibit. For many, this is an annual tradition and is a great way to celebrate the different ways Christmas is celebrated in other cultures. Go to www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/christmas-around-the-world/ to find the next online tour. If you enjoyed that tour, sign up for another virtual tour of the U-505 a real German submarine from World War II by visiting www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/u-505-submarine/.
Watch The Emperor’s New Groove
On Tuesday (November 15), The Emperor’s New Groove turns 20 years old. Journey with the self-absorbed Emperor Kuzco as he loses the throne after being turned into a donkey by the evil Yzma. Filled with animated hijinks and loads of laughs this film is an all around great time. Try some trivia if you already think you’re an expert, ohmy.disney.com/quiz/2015/09/18/quiz-how-well-do-you-know-the-emperors-new-groove/. You can stream The Emperor’s New Groove on Disney+ or rent/buy it on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, or Vudu.
Bake some cookies
This Christmas is definitely going to look different than most, but that doesn’t mean you still can celebrate the birth of Christ with friends and family. You can bake cookies and leave them on people’s doorstep with a note and you can safely share a sweet treat with those you love without any contact. If you don’t have any festive recipes, go to www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/christmas/g2177/easy-christmas-cookies/. My personal favorite on the list is on slide 21- a brownie cookie aka a “brookie.”
Get some Christmas shopping done
Pull out your phone and get everyone’s gifts this year. It can be easy to forget when things get so busy, and if you order soon your gifts can still make it before Christmas.
Ice Skating at Millennium Park
Millennium Park’s outdoor ice-skating rinks are opening up once again for the Holiday season. The McCormick Tribune Rink is a traditional oval shape perfect for beginners. The Ribbon, located at Maggie Daily Park, is a long circular path with level, uphill, and downhill skating for a slightly more experienced skater although beginners are welcome to try. Skates may be rented for $16-20 a pair, but bring your own, and it’s completely free of charge. Due to COVID-19, there will be limited capacity. Go to maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/skating-ribbon/ to make your reservations now or to learn more about skating downtown.
https://sparkhd.fm/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Welcome-To-Weekends-graphic-e1551990668320.jpg340650Sarah Breinighttps://live-sparkhd.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/SparkTopLogo-copy.jpgSarah Breinig2020-12-12 11:04:582020-12-12 11:05:20Spark Welcome to Weekends by Sarah Breinig
If SPARK and Welcome to Weekends is helping you have great weekends, share your experience on Facebook @sparkhd and Instagram @sparkhd and use #sparkweekend to show what you have been doing. I hope you keep having wonderful weekends!
Go a Christmas Decoration Drive
Many people taking decorating for Christmas to the extreme, so why not hop in a car and admire their hard work? This is a fun (and COVID-19 friendly) way to enjoy all of the outdoor decorations people put out without having to do all the work themselves.
Watch Cast Away
After being cast away alone on an island, Chuck Noland is forced to survive. This recognizable film came out on December 7, 2000. Celebrates its twentieth anniversary this Monday (December 7) and watch it on your own or with friends. You can watch Cast Away on HBO Max, with a premium subscription on Hulu or Amazon Prime, or rent/purchase it on YouTube, Google Play, or Vudu. For some Cast Away trivia, visit www.imdb.com/title/tt0162222/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2.
Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas
If your house is anything like mine, it isn’t the Christmas season without A Charlie Brown Christmas. Celebrate this beloved Christmas special turning fifty-five years old on Wednesday (December 9).
Ice skating at Millennium Park
Millennium Park’s outdoor ice-skating rinks are opening up once again for the Holiday season. The McCormick Tribune Rink is a traditional oval shape perfect for beginners. The Ribbon, located at Maggie Daily Park, is a long circular path with level, uphill, and downhill skating for a slightly more experienced skater although beginners are welcome to try. Skates may be rented for $16-20 a pair, but bring your own, and it’s completely free of charge. Due to COVID-19, there will be limited capacity. Go to maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/skating-ribbon/ to make your reservations now or to learn more about skating downtown.
Have Christmas movie night
Whether Hallmark Christmas romcoms, Christmas horror, Christmas comedies, heart-warming classics, or any other type of Christmas movies are your favorite way to bring in the season, why not grab some family and/or friends and watch a festive film together? Remember you can always use group watch features on many streaming platforms to stay socially distanced and safe.
https://sparkhd.fm/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Welcome-To-Weekends-graphic-e1551990668320.jpg340650Sarah Breinighttps://live-sparkhd.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/SparkTopLogo-copy.jpgSarah Breinig2020-12-02 14:31:002020-12-02 14:31:00Spark Welcome to Weekends by Sarah Breinig
If SPARK and Welcome to Weekends is helping you have great weekends, share your experience on Facebook @sparkhd and Instagram @sparkhd and use #sparkweekend to show what you have been doing. I hope you keep having wonderful weekends!
Good luck on your finals
Finals are finally upon us, so do a great job! I know you can do it!
Watch Toy Story
On Sunday (November 22), Toy Story turns 25 years old. Relive the classic fun as Sheriff Woody is forced to come to terms with the new toy on the shelf- Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear. Not only is Toy Story the first full-length digitally animated movie, but is has become a film series recognizable worldwide. Celebrate the fun by streaming it on Disney+ or renting/buying Toy Story on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Prime, YouTube, or Vudu. For more Toy Story fun, go to https://ohmy.disney.com/quiz/2016/03/06/hardest-toy-story-quiz/.
Hang out with friends (virtually)
Don’t let the new COVID-19 Stage 3 Mitigations prevent you and your friends from (safely) having fun. Meet up virtually before the semester ends and hang out together.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving
I hope your Thanksgiving is filled with joy and love. No matter who your friends and family are and no matter how far away you may be due to COVID-19, I hope you enjoy this special day to give thanks!
Go Black Friday shopping
Whether you scope out deals like a hawk or decide the day of to participate, Black Friday can be a lot of fun. This year is easier than ever since many of the sales are solely online due to the pandemic, so why not use that to your advantage to get some cool stuff at a great price.
https://sparkhd.fm/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Welcome-To-Weekends-graphic-e1551990668320.jpg340650Sarah Breinighttps://live-sparkhd.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/SparkTopLogo-copy.jpgSarah Breinig2020-11-21 14:51:162020-11-21 14:51:16Spark Welcome to Weekends by Sarah Breinig
Spark Welcome to Weekends by Sarah Breinig
/in The Spark Blog /by Sarah BreinigIf SPARK and Welcome to Weekends is helping you have great weekends, share your experience on Facebook @sparkhd and Instagram @sparkhd and use #sparkweekend to show what you have been doing. I hope you keep having wonderful weekends!
2020 may have been a difficult year, but don’t let that stop you from celebrating the birth of Christ. Safely get together with family and have a Merry Christmas! Try setting up a video call to see high risk family members or those who live too far away to safely see in person. From the spark HD family to yours, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas.
The year 2020 ends this Thursday (December 31), so get ready to say goodbye to a difficult year and hello to a new one. Happy New Year!
On Christmas (Friday December 25), Disney and Pixar are releasing Soul on Disney+. Set up a Group Watch with family and friends and celebrate the Christmas holiday together.
After several changed release dates due to the pandemic, Wonder Woman: 1984 will be released to theatres and HBO Max this Christmas (Friday December 25).
Millennium Park’s outdoor ice-skating rinks are opening up once again for the Holiday season. The McCormick Tribune Rink is a traditional oval shape perfect for beginners. The Ribbon, located at Maggie Daily Park, is a long circular path with level, uphill, and downhill skating for a slightly more experienced skater although beginners are welcome to try. Skates may be rented for $16-20 a pair, but bring your own, and it’s completely free of charge. Due to COVID-19, there will be limited capacity. Go to maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/skating-ribbon/ to make your reservations now or to learn more about skating downtown.
Spark Welcome to Weekends by Sarah Breinig
/in The Spark Blog /by Sarah BreinigIf SPARK and Welcome to Weekends is helping you have great weekends, share your experience on Facebook @sparkhd and Instagram @sparkhd and use #sparkweekend to show what you have been doing. I hope you keep having wonderful weekends!
Since many traditional Christmas activities are canceled due to COVID-19, why not do something from home to celebrate the season? Try making your own decorations this year. Go to https://www.housebeautiful.com/entertaining/holidays-celebrations/g2818/homemade-christmas-ornaments/ for a bunch of ideas. My personal favorite is a little yarn hat ornament on slide 4. Slide 12 shows you how to make simple but elegant paper ornaments.
On Monday (December 21), Kindergarten Cop turns 30 years old. Join in the fun as Arnold Schwarzenegger, a gritty cop, is assigned to find and protect a dangerous criminal’s ex-wife, but the only way to do that is to go undercover as a teacher in a kindergarten classroom. You can watch Kindergarten Cop on Hulu and Amazon Prime or rent/buy on YouTube. To learn some trivia about the film, visit https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099938/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2.
Even though the Christmas season looks different this year, you can still celebrate the season with your family by caroling. Use Go Caroling Day, which is this Sunday (December 20) as an excuse to get outside and share some Christmas joy!
Monday (December 21) is Look on the Bright Side Day. 2020 has been an unusual and difficult year for everyone, and it can be easy to look at it negatively. Use this day to reflect on all of the good things that have come from this year. For example during quarantine, you probably learned a new skill or got in touch with a friend who hadn’t talked to in a while.
Millennium Park’s outdoor ice-skating rinks are opening up once again for the Holiday season. The McCormick Tribune Rink is a traditional oval shape perfect for beginners. The Ribbon, located at Maggie Daily Park, is a long circular path with level, uphill, and downhill skating for a slightly more experienced skater although beginners are welcome to try. Skates may be rented for $16-20 a pair, but bring your own, and it’s completely free of charge. Due to COVID-19, there will be limited capacity. Go to maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/skating-ribbon/ to make your reservations now or to learn more about skating downtown.
Spark Welcome to Weekends by Sarah Breinig
/in The Spark Blog /by Sarah BreinigIf SPARK and Welcome to Weekends is helping you have great weekends, share your experience on Facebook @sparkhd and Instagram @sparkhd and use #sparkweekend to show what you have been doing. I hope you keep having wonderful weekends!
Since the Museum of Science and Industry closed for COVID safety, they decided to still host virtual tours of their Christmas Around the World and Holiday of Lights exhibit. For many, this is an annual tradition and is a great way to celebrate the different ways Christmas is celebrated in other cultures. Go to www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/christmas-around-the-world/ to find the next online tour. If you enjoyed that tour, sign up for another virtual tour of the U-505 a real German submarine from World War II by visiting www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/u-505-submarine/.
On Tuesday (November 15), The Emperor’s New Groove turns 20 years old. Journey with the self-absorbed Emperor Kuzco as he loses the throne after being turned into a donkey by the evil Yzma. Filled with animated hijinks and loads of laughs this film is an all around great time. Try some trivia if you already think you’re an expert, ohmy.disney.com/quiz/2015/09/18/quiz-how-well-do-you-know-the-emperors-new-groove/. You can stream The Emperor’s New Groove on Disney+ or rent/buy it on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, or Vudu.
This Christmas is definitely going to look different than most, but that doesn’t mean you still can celebrate the birth of Christ with friends and family. You can bake cookies and leave them on people’s doorstep with a note and you can safely share a sweet treat with those you love without any contact. If you don’t have any festive recipes, go to www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/christmas/g2177/easy-christmas-cookies/. My personal favorite on the list is on slide 21- a brownie cookie aka a “brookie.”
Pull out your phone and get everyone’s gifts this year. It can be easy to forget when things get so busy, and if you order soon your gifts can still make it before Christmas.
Millennium Park’s outdoor ice-skating rinks are opening up once again for the Holiday season. The McCormick Tribune Rink is a traditional oval shape perfect for beginners. The Ribbon, located at Maggie Daily Park, is a long circular path with level, uphill, and downhill skating for a slightly more experienced skater although beginners are welcome to try. Skates may be rented for $16-20 a pair, but bring your own, and it’s completely free of charge. Due to COVID-19, there will be limited capacity. Go to maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/skating-ribbon/ to make your reservations now or to learn more about skating downtown.
Spark Welcome to Weekends by Sarah Breinig
/in The Spark Blog /by Sarah BreinigIf SPARK and Welcome to Weekends is helping you have great weekends, share your experience on Facebook @sparkhd and Instagram @sparkhd and use #sparkweekend to show what you have been doing. I hope you keep having wonderful weekends!
Many people taking decorating for Christmas to the extreme, so why not hop in a car and admire their hard work? This is a fun (and COVID-19 friendly) way to enjoy all of the outdoor decorations people put out without having to do all the work themselves.
After being cast away alone on an island, Chuck Noland is forced to survive. This recognizable film came out on December 7, 2000. Celebrates its twentieth anniversary this Monday (December 7) and watch it on your own or with friends. You can watch Cast Away on HBO Max, with a premium subscription on Hulu or Amazon Prime, or rent/purchase it on YouTube, Google Play, or Vudu. For some Cast Away trivia, visit www.imdb.com/title/tt0162222/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2.
If your house is anything like mine, it isn’t the Christmas season without A Charlie Brown Christmas. Celebrate this beloved Christmas special turning fifty-five years old on Wednesday (December 9).
Millennium Park’s outdoor ice-skating rinks are opening up once again for the Holiday season. The McCormick Tribune Rink is a traditional oval shape perfect for beginners. The Ribbon, located at Maggie Daily Park, is a long circular path with level, uphill, and downhill skating for a slightly more experienced skater although beginners are welcome to try. Skates may be rented for $16-20 a pair, but bring your own, and it’s completely free of charge. Due to COVID-19, there will be limited capacity. Go to maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/skating-ribbon/ to make your reservations now or to learn more about skating downtown.
Whether Hallmark Christmas romcoms, Christmas horror, Christmas comedies, heart-warming classics, or any other type of Christmas movies are your favorite way to bring in the season, why not grab some family and/or friends and watch a festive film together? Remember you can always use group watch features on many streaming platforms to stay socially distanced and safe.
Spark Welcome to Weekends by Sarah Breinig
/in The Spark Blog /by Sarah BreinigIf SPARK and Welcome to Weekends is helping you have great weekends, share your experience on Facebook @sparkhd and Instagram @sparkhd and use #sparkweekend to show what you have been doing. I hope you keep having wonderful weekends!
Finals are finally upon us, so do a great job! I know you can do it!
On Sunday (November 22), Toy Story turns 25 years old. Relive the classic fun as Sheriff Woody is forced to come to terms with the new toy on the shelf- Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear. Not only is Toy Story the first full-length digitally animated movie, but is has become a film series recognizable worldwide. Celebrate the fun by streaming it on Disney+ or renting/buying Toy Story on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Prime, YouTube, or Vudu. For more Toy Story fun, go to https://ohmy.disney.com/quiz/2016/03/06/hardest-toy-story-quiz/.
Don’t let the new COVID-19 Stage 3 Mitigations prevent you and your friends from (safely) having fun. Meet up virtually before the semester ends and hang out together.
I hope your Thanksgiving is filled with joy and love. No matter who your friends and family are and no matter how far away you may be due to COVID-19, I hope you enjoy this special day to give thanks!
Whether you scope out deals like a hawk or decide the day of to participate, Black Friday can be a lot of fun. This year is easier than ever since many of the sales are solely online due to the pandemic, so why not use that to your advantage to get some cool stuff at a great price.