& Fall Festival
40th Annual Pilot Club
Holiday Home Tour & Tea
Sunday, Dec. 7, from 1-5 p.m.
Tea will be at 1061 East Morton at Twisted Tree
The Home Tour will include the following homes:
Holiday Guide
October 2025
October 18th
Murrayville
United Methodist Church
Murrayville Community Building
Weiner Roast
5:30pm
October 19th
Fall Dinner-St. Francis of Assisi At St. Norbert School, Hardin, IL
Dinner/Carryout 11am-3pm
October 25th
Faith Lutheran Church
Fall Fun Fest
3:30-Worship with Polka Music
4:30-6:30pm Food, Trunk or Treat, Bounce House, Games.
October 31st
Murrayville
United Methodist Church
Trunk or Treat
Church Parking Lot
5:30-7:30pm
Tickets are available at: Hy-Vee, Jacksonville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and from any Pilot Club member at $20 00 per ticket.
November 2025
November 7th
Woodyards
Holiday Open House 10am-5pm
Jacksonville
Memorial Hospital
Holiday Open House 3-7pm Main Lobby of JMH
Tipsord’s Turf & Landscape
Christmas Open House 9am-4pm
Pharmacy Plus Holiday Open House
9am-5:30pm
508 N. Main, Carrollton, IL
November 8th
Woodyards Holiday Open House 10am-5pm
Jacksonville Memorial Hospital
Holiday Open House 9am-5pm Main Lobby of JMH
Tipsord’s Turf & Landscape
Christmas Open House 9am-4pm
Beardstown Antique Mall
Holiday Open House Sat. 10am-5pm
Pharmacy Plus Holiday Open House 9am-1pm
508 N. Main, Carrollton, IL
Current Pilot Club of Jacksonville members: Shelle Allen, Vickie Austin, Diana Bushnell, Joann Chumley, Delsie Clancy, Beth Eilers, Diane Farmer, Martha Hauck, Karla Henderson, Krystin Hill, Ann Hoard, Linda Meece, Tammy Mellor, Clair Moos, Sue Morrow, Patty Osborne, Jody Rees, Alberta Robinson, Angela Salyer, Zoellen Smith, Mary Specht, Karla Stice, Billie Summers, Joyce Surbeck, Sue Tapscott, Alice Thomas, Sue Thomas, Konnie Trace, Carol Wallbaum, Caron Yates and Tina Young.
Oskie & Becky Pilarte 2085 Lake Jacksonville Rd.
Barnes House - Illinois College Lockwood Place
Tim & Stephanie Chipman 1312 West State St.
Governor Duncan Mansion 4 Duncan Park
Mary Gray - General Grierson Home 852 East State St. President’s House - MacMurray
HOLIDAY GUIDE CALENDAR
November
Tipsord’s
November 13th
Irleand & Italy Trip
Informational
Hosted
Meeting
November
Centenary
November 30th
Murrayville
United
November 23rd
Murrayville
United Methodist Church
Murrayville Community Building
Community Thanksgiving Service
6:00pm
November 29th
Downtown
November 15th
Murrayville
United
HOLIDAY GUIDE CALENDAR DDD CONTINUED
December 2025
December 3rd
Advent AllegraJHS Madrigal Singers
Faith Lutheran Church
Lunch at 11:30am
Concert at 12:15
December 6th
Salem Lutheran Church
Cookie Walk
Salem Lutheran Annex
10am-Noon
Winchester Hometown Christmas
Activities All Day
See Ad For Details & Times, Page 12
December 7th
Jacksonville Pilot Club
Holiday Home Tour & Tea
1-5pm
December 10th
Advent Allegra-Matthew Nall on Piano
Faith Lutheran Church
Lunch at 11:30am
Concert at 12:15
December 11th
Jacksonville Area Senior Center
Cookie & Candy Walk
1309 S. Main-Community Park Building Jacksonville, IL
9am-3pm
December 14th
Murrayville United Methodist Church
Christmas Cantata
10:15 in the church
December 18th
Murrayville United Methodist Church
Blue Christmas Service
7:00pm
December 17th
Advent Allegra-IC Percussion Ensemble
Faith Lutheran Church
Lunch at 11:30am
Concert at 12:15
December 24th
Murrayville United Methodist Church
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
9:00pm
Children with special needs often benefit from gifts with specialized purposes. While general gifts certainly can be fitting, customizing the gifts to the recipient’s particular emotional or behavioral needs can be a great way to ensure kids get the most use out of their toys. To get help with making selections, gift-givers may want to visit Miniland Educational USA (www. minilandeducationalusa.com able-play/), which offers a variety of ideas, comprehensive information on toys/products and its own rating system, known as AblePlay™, for special needs individuals. In addition, the company offers solutions for smart growth, care, fun activities, and learning opportunities for all children.
Kids and gifts: HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
Despite the many messages from all corners promoting a “more is better” philosophy when it comes to holiday gifts, the truth is far more complex — especially for children. While most parents work hard to give their kids everything they need and much of what they want, it is often hard to draw the line, prompting many well intentioned moms and dads to ask, “How much is too much?”
In general, the answer lies within each family. Parents should purchase what makes sense to them and what they believe their children will use and appreciate. However, in recent years, child psychologists and experts in child development have returned to these questions as economic conditions have forced many families to scale back, both throughout the year and during the holiday season.
Books such as “The Pampered Child Syndrome” (Jessica Kingsley, 2006) by Maggie Mamen and “Give Me, Get Me, Buy Me” (HCI, 2010) by Donna Corwin and several others on the same topic offer similar conclusions: When children are given too much over the course of their childhoods, they can develop a serious case of entitlement, become unappreciative of what they have and begin to equate love with “stuff.” And for younger children, receiving a huge pile of gifts in one sitting can be both overwhelming and overstimulating.
If you have been wondering about these issues, here are some general guidelines for having a fun-filled holiday with just enough stuff.
Make a gift plan
Before setting out on your first shopping expedition, devise a plan that makes sense for your family. If you have younger children, decide on the number of
gifts for each. With older children, you might want to establish a dollar amount rather than a gift amount. Once you’ve made the plan, stick to it — no matter what.
Draw names
Particularly in bigger families, gift-giving can become a financial and emotional burden if everyone buys for everyone. Drawing names not only reduces those burdens, but often results in more meaningful gifts all around.
Opt for a shared experience
Consider pooling the money you would have spent on individual gifts and putting it toward a special outing, vacation or shared item for your home. Long after the toys have broken and the electronics have stopped working, your children will cherish their memories of a holiday that focused on sharing time together.
Communicate
If Grandpa Mike or Aunt Emily has a reputation for heaping on the presents at Christmas or Chanukah, let them know ahead of time that one will do, then offer a suggestion that is sure to please your son or daughter. If they insist that they want to do more, consider asking them to make a donation in your child’s name to a charitable organization or to purchase a gift for a local child in need.
Collaborate
Sometimes one big gift makes a lot more sense. If your child would love a new bike or a trampoline or horseback riding lessons, consider asking extended family members to contribute to that item or to items that go with it, such as a helmet or other gear.
Did you know?
A 2024 Economist/YouGov poll found that turkey continues to reign supreme on the Thanksgiving dinner table. When asked what they’ll be eating at Thanksgiving dinner, 67 percent of poll participants indicated they plan to eat turkey, making it the most popular food to find its way onto the dinner table for this popular holiday. Additional staples also remain wildly popular among Thanksgiving celebrants, suggesting that food is among the more sacred Turkey Day traditions. When asked what they plan to eat at Thanksgiving dinner this year, participants noted some easily recognizable favorites:
• Mashed potatoes: 56 percent
• Bread or rolls: 55 percent
• Pie: 54 percent
• Stuffing: 51 percent
• Gravy: 51 percent
• Green beans: 40 percent
• Sweet potatoes: 39 percent
• Cranberry sauce: 38 percent
• Corn: 33 percent
Shipping Gifts MORE THAN JUST TIMING
When shipping holiday gifts, much of the focus is on getting those gifts in the mail on time. While it’s important to avoid procrastinating when shipping holiday gifts, there’s more to shipping gifts than just getting them sent out promptly. When shipping holiday gifts this season, consider the following tips.
Ship through an online retailer. Billing address and the shipping address are two different categories when buying from an online retailer, and holiday shoppers should take advantage of a retailer’s willingness to package and ship gifts for you. Many online retailers will even gift-wrap items for you and include a personal note as well.
Protect the gift. For those who won’t be using an online retailer, be sure to protect the gift, especially if it’s fragile. Use bubble cushioning and packing peanuts when sending fragile items through the mail. If sending multiple items, wrap each item tightly in bubble cushioning but leave some space between the items for peanuts. Carefully pack perishables. When sending perishable items, always send them via next-day delivery and never ship them near the end of the week, such as a Friday or Saturday. Items shipped on Friday and Saturday should be able to withstand a few days of being in transit. But when sending cheeses, fruits or any other perishable items, it’s best to do so early in the week and choose next-day delivery.
Insure more expensive gifts. Don’t skimp on insurance when sending expensive gifts such as jewelry through the mail. Shipping companies typically only insure items up to a certain amount, so insure more expensive items through your own insurance company so their full value is covered.
Comparison shop when shipping. Comparison shopping not only applies to holiday gifts, but shipping as well. Shipping companies, including the post office, compete for business come the holidays, and you can likely find a good deal to reduce the cost of shipping holiday gifts, costs that can add up if shipping several gifts.
DATE: Saturda y, November 22nd TIME: 9:00am - 4:00pm
AUCTION: 7:00pm - will take place after the event on Saturda y
Join your friends and neighbors as you take a stroll through our Kids Room and check out the Attic’s Holida y deals! Walk through the halls and view the beautifully decorated trees and wreaths as you enjoy some delicious festive treats for yourself. Take home some “Bow-Wow Bits” for that special pet in your life!
Be sure to stop by and get a picture with Santa Claus and Jack Frost!
Holiday shoppers may want to emphasize being frugal this holiday season. Here are some strategies to follow.
How to be a frugal holiday shopper
• Establish a firm limit on gift amounts. The more the merrier is a popular a sentiment during the holiday season, but spending more on a gift doesn’t necessarily mean it will be better received. Many humorous, whimsical, practical, or even glamorous gifts can be had for $30 or less.
The holiday season is a joyous but often expensive time of year.
The average American will spend $700 on holiday gifts and other trimmings this year, totaling more than $465 billion says the National Retail Federation. In a 2017 survey for CIBC, Canadians said they were planning to spend an average $643 on gifts and another $300 on decor and entertaining.
Such spending can compromise household budgets, making the post-holiday hangover that much more difficult.
• Combine financial resources. If there’s a splurge in mind for a particular person on a list, find out if someone else is willing to serve as a co-gifter. For example, siblings can chip in for a gift for Mom or Dad if they have their sights set on something expensive.
• Consider a grab bag or secret gift exchange. Families or groups of friends can opt for a grab bag this year. In such arrangements, each person brings a gift worth no more than a previously agreed on amount of money, and
individuals take turns pulling gifts out of the bag. This is a great way to stay within budget and is a particularly helpful arrangement for big families.
• Shop all sales. Utilize sales to your best advantage to score deals on various items. Those who plan ahead can shop off-season to help stretch a budget over the course of the year rather than over one or two months.
• Include some homemade gifts. People with a talent for knitting or crocheting can create blankets or other gifts. Bakers can whip up tasty, edible treats. The holidays are a prime time to put your unique talents to use and turn them into beloved gifts.
The holidays certainly can be expensive, but people can rein in spending by acting frugally when gifting.
Reasons to use cash
to pay for holiday purchases 6
1. Limits spending in a tangible way: A key benefit of using cash is that it presents a visual cue that spending should cease. If a shopper has set a $200 limit for holiday gifts, when that $200 in cash is gone, it’s a surefire reminder that it is time to step away from the register and leave the store. It can be hard to view spending in real time when using credit or debit.
3. Prevent second-guess impulse buys: Parting with hard-earned cash directly can be a great motivator to keep that $20 in your pocket instead of using it for a scratchoff lotto ticket or mall food court snack. Watching cash supplies dwindle may prevent shoppers from making unwise purchases.
Cash has fallen out of favor among consumers who find it easier to reach for a card in their wallets. Some shoppers may even wonder if people still carry cash when credit cards and debit cards have become so convenient and widely accepted? Actually, they do.
According to a recent study by LendEDU, 32 percent of 875 people surveyed preferred to use cash over cards for everyday purchases. Cash can be a smart choice for many purchases, including holiday spending. Here are six reasons why cash can be king once more.
5. Losing cash doesn’t affect credit. Although many people say carrying cash is riskier than sticking to credit, the financial expert Dave Ramsey says differently. While parting with lost cash can be a blow, the risk of identity theft, and sorting through canceling credit and debit cards when they go missing, can be an even bigger threat.
2. Bills are accepted everywhere. Unlike some credit cards, merchants will not turn away cash. This is especially helpful when shopping at small businesses or pop-up markets that are popular during the holidays. Local artisans or other niche vendors may only take cash as well.
4. Cash facilitates tipping. Cash is often best for tipping servers and delivery personnel. According to Kim Palmer, a credit card guru at NerdWallet, a popular financial advice site, recipients of tips prefer cash because they get it immediately. A tip on a card may only be parceled out at the end of the week.
6. Cash may score deals. Paying in cash can be a great bargaining chip at retailers who may offer discounts or waive fees for cash purchases.
There’s something to be said about paying in cash, especially during the holidays when sticking to budgets can be challenging.
Holiday shopping tips you can’t afford to miss
The festive and fun nature of the holiday season can make it easy to forget the benefits of being frugal. Many people go overboard on holiday spending, making this time of year costly for consumers.
Sales between the beginning of November 2023 and Christmas Eve 2023 climbed 3.1 percent from the year earlier, according to the Mastercard SpendingPulse. The National Retail Federation reported in November 2023 that holiday spending was expected to reach between $957 and $966 billion. Trading Economics, a financial market indicator and forecast provider, said personal spending in the United States only rose 0.2 percent in May 2024 from the previous month, which marked the lowest increase since January 2024.
Shoppers who want to spend less and stick to a budget for holiday entertaining and gifting can keep these budgeting tips in mind.
• Set a value to gift recipients. It may sound harsh, but certain people on holiday shopping lists may be assigned a higher value than others. For example, you wouldn’t necessarily spend the same amount on a gift for a child’s teacher as you would for a grandmother. Putting a dollar figure next to each name on the shopping list helps you identify your expected spending and where you can cut back, if necessary.
• Establish your overall budget. Once you have an idea of your potential holiday expenditures, set a firm budget. Avoid the temptation of impulse buys, which can make it easy to go over budget.
• Begin shopping early. Start scouring ads and looking for deals prior to Thanksgiving or Black Friday. Keep a running list of gift ideas and when the price is right, purchase those items.
• Price check “perfect gifts.” If you’ve spotted the perfect gift for someone but it’s beyond budget, see if you can find a better price elsewhere, says Better Money Habits. There are apps that allow users to scan barcodes and check items across various retailers. Many stores also have price-match policies that can save shoppers money.
• Look for deals all of the time. Many people get hung up on perceived deep discounts from Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers. However, industry experts say there often isn’t a huge difference in markdowns between these promotions and those during other sales. Some retailers even increase prices on goods only to mark them down for Black Friday to make it appear that there is a discount. Only by knowing the average price for items can you know if a sale is legitimate.
• Sign up for store rewards. If you don’t want your regular email inbox inundated with offers, set up a separate
email account for in-store and online shopping. Then you can sign up for the rewards programs at checkout. Utilize the coupon codes and advertisements for sales to save money without having your primary email data shared with other marketers.
• Track spending carefully. If you don’t know how much
Informational Meeting
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH
Hosted by World Travel & The Farmers State Bank and Trust Company
IRELAND WILL BE AT 3PM ITALY WILL BE AT 4PM
you’re spending, then you cannot possibly stick to a budget. After each purchase, keep a running tally of all holiday spending to see how far you are from the finish line.
The holidays can be expensive, but with smart budgeting and dedication to savvy shopping, it’s possible to stay out of financial trouble.
Free family-friendly activities, including: A holiday movie at Stadium Theater, minute-to-win-it holiday games, inflatables, Toddler Town, hay rides, free photos with Santa, North Pole Post Office (where kids can write a letter to Santa & receive a reply), food trucks, Kringle Award presentation, lighting of Jerseyville’s official Christmas tree, Rudolph’s lighted parade.
Giving ON A TIGHT BUDGET
As global economic woes continue, holiday spending remains difficult to predict. In 2010, holiday spending rose more than five percent from the year before, according to MasterCard AdvisorsTM SpendingPulseTM. That increase surprised forecasters, many of whom predicted holiday spending would decline for the fifth straight year.
With the holiday season on the horizon once again, no one truly knows what consumer response will be. But many consumers figure to exercise some restraint this holiday season, sticking to a budget when buying gifts for family and friends. While budgets are good ways to limit spending, a holiday spending budget doesn’t mean shoppers can’t still put a smile on their loved ones’ faces. In fact, with a few tips, holiday shoppers can stick to their budgets and still enjoy a happy holiday season.
Get creative. Holiday gifts don’t have to be bought at the local mall or from an online retailer. Gift-givers with unique talents can create their own gifts and save some money along the way. For example, shoppers skilled at woodworking can create a personalized wood carving for a friend or family member. Good at knitting? Knit a scarf, mittens or even a blanket for a loved one who lives in a cold weather region. Such personalized gifts are often especially meaningful to their recipients, who appreciate the time and effort such keepsakes take to create.
Be patient. Nowadays, many families are so spread out geographically that they don’t always get together on Christmas Day. If that’s the case and you won’t be seeing your family until a few days after Christmas, take advantage of the special sales offered in the days after the actual holiday. Items are often heavily discounted, and if you can stay patient, your patience might just pay off with substantial savings.
Establish spending rules with family members before the shopping season begins. In an effort to reduce some of the financial burden of the holiday season, many
families have begun to place spending limits on holiday shopping. This saves everyone money and ensures no one finds themselves with substantial debt come the new year.
Do a gift exchange with family and friends. Many larger families have also begun to do a gift exchange rather than asking members of the family to buy gifts for each and every member of the family. In a gift exchange, each member of the family draws a name out of a hat and then only buys a gift for that specific person. This even has the added benefit of allowing shoppers to buy something a little more expensive for a family member since they aren’t obligated to buy gifts for anyone else.
Start early. The earlier you begin your holiday shopping, the more you can spread out your spending. This reduces the financial stress of the season while still allowing shoppers to get something special for everyone on their shopping list.
Holiday spending may or may not increase this holiday season. But savvy shoppers can still make the most of their spending without breaking the bank.
Last minute HOLIDAY SHOPPING TIPS
Nearly everyone has a last minute holiday shopping horror story to tell. Be it a late-season grab for a child’s must-have gift or fighting fellow procrastinators for a parking spot come the waning days of the season, veteran shoppers have experienced it all.
While those with more experience might know the tricks of the late season shopping trade, novice procrastinators might need a few of the following tips to make it through the season without a horror story of their own.
• Consider online retailers. Shopping online might not be for everyone, but those without much time might want to consider online retailers, many of which guarantee delivery of the item by Christmas Day for orders placed as late as December 20. In addition, some retailers even guarantee delivery if the order is placed by December 22, but such guarantees often require consumers to choose overnight delivery, which can be costly.
When shopping online, if no gifts stand out, consider buying an electronic gift certificate instead. Such certificates can often be delivered directly to a loved one’s e-mail inbox, and it only takes a matter of seconds for the delivery to be made. Though some find this impersonal, nowadays many people would prefer a gift card instead of another sweater.
• Go the food-and-beverage route. One of the worst things about last minute holiday shopping is dealing with fellow procrastinators at the local mall. Last minute shoppers tend to
be as short on patience as they are on time. To avoid the malls, last minute shoppers can give the gift of food or drink for those friends or family members you will be seeing during the holiday season. A nice bottle of wine or a collection of gourmet cheeses make thoughtful gifts, and last minute shoppers don’t need to visit the mall to get them.
• Consider a monthly gift. As a nice bottle of wine or a package of gourmet cheeses proves, not all great gifts need to be picked up at the mall. A monthly gift like a magazine subscription or a membership to a monthly club (i.e., “Pastry of the Month”) are gifts that keep on giving all-year. Late-season shoppers will find these options especially appealing as they can almost always be ordered in just a few minutes, whether it’s over the phone or via the Internet.
• Don’t abandon the mall entirely. Though procrastinators are in no danger of becoming extinct, most people do get their holiday shopping done well in advance of Christmas Day. As a result, truly last minute shoppers might find the mall isn’t so crowded on Christmas Eve. While the pickings might be slim for shoppers who wait until December 24, the lines may not be as long and the parking lot probably won’t be as packed. But keep in mind it will be impossible for a gift purchased on Christmas Eve to find its way under a tree unless you personally bring it to a loved one. If you can’t give the gift in person on Christmas, don’t wait until Christmas Eve to buy it.
• Donate in a loved one’s name. If a specific charity is near
and dear to a loved one’s heart, make a donation in their name. Charities are among the many organizations that are struggling to survive in the current economy, and your donation might go a long way to helping a cause your loved one truly supports.
How to be comfortable when holiday shopping
Shopping can be time-consuming come the holiday season. According to a Consumer Reports Holiday Shopping Poll, during the holiday season, the average American spends roughly 42 hours buying, wrapping and returning gifts.
Holiday shopping can be both physically and mentally tiring. But there’s no reason why holiday shopping excursions cannot be comfortable.
• Keep weather in mind. The weather can affect where shoppers do their shopping. Select indoor malls or outlets and other retailers with overhead coverage to protect against the elements.
• Choose easy-flow stores. Stores that are easy to navigate and offer ample room for multiple people to shop simultaneously can feel more comfortable, even during the busy holiday season.
• Wear comfortable clothing. The rise in luxury loungewear means shoppers can be comfortable and look good at the same time. Choose footwear that will not rub and cause blisters while offering am-
ple arch support to prevent tired feet.
• Arrive well-fed. It’s difficult to make shopping decisions on an empty stomach. Heading to stores satiated can improve productivity and help avoid fatigue or impulse food stops.
• Consider shopping small. Many small business owners go out of their way to provide a comfortable shopping experience, establishing rapport and solving problems for customers.
• Take breaks along the way. Recharge by resting from the shopping experience. Take a break by sitting down or periodically engage in activities that do not involve shopping or thinking about the holidays.
• Shop unencumbered. Leave unnecessary items at home so as not to be burdened down by coats, bags and other accessories. Utilize lockers at malls or coat checks. Skip bulky purses in lieu of small, easily toted options.
With these shopping comfort strategies in mind, holiday excursions can be that much more enjoyable.
11th
Annual Winchester Hometown Christmas
December 6, 2025
Follow our Facebook Page at “ Winchester IL Hometown Christmas” for continual updates! (All events in Winchester, IL)
• Kiwanis Panc ake and S ausage Breakfast –8 am – 10 am – Siber t Hall – 20 N. Walnut
• Vendors at various loc ations in Winchester (see Facebook page for details closer to time) 9 am – 3 pm
• Specials at a Variety of Local Businesses
• Winchester FFA selling handmade fresh greener y wreaths on the square
• Cookie and Candy Walk – 9 am – Noon –1st Christian Church – 20 N. Main
• Winchester Old School Museum – open from 10 am – 4 pm. Museum Elf in house with treats for the kids
• Decorated Tree Display – at Winchester Old School Museum (see times above)
• Train Display at the Winchester Train Depot –9 am – 3 pm – 245 W Cherr y
• Open House/Refreshments at Winchester Train Depot-12-1pm-245 W Cherr y
• S anta will be in his house from 1 – 3 pm for visitors
• Toy Drive – Winchester Outreach Center – 9 am – 3 pm
• Winchester Public Librar y Christmas Ar t Show featuring local ar tists from all ages ( Visit their website at winchesterpubliclibrar y.org for more information.)
• 1st Baptist Church Soup Supper – 4 – 6 pm – 30 W. Cross St.
• Winchester Lighted Christmas Parade (one of the largest in the area) coordinated by the WHS Key Club – 6:30 pm
• Following the parade, Memor y Tree Ceremony and parade entries will be announced and Christmas carols provided by Howard brothers – Winchester Square
