Mike Lencioni of Geneva and his wife Katie elected to get the last weekend before Christmas off to a fun start by taking a trip to the Vaughan Athletic Center in Aurora for a dive into the world of the famous children’s author Dr. Seuss.
“Our son Josh is 3 years old and is obsessed with the Grinch,” Mike Lencioni said during a Fox Valley Park District program at the center offering kids the chance to meet the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, two characters made famous in Seuss’ story “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”
“We watch the Grinch movies the entire year. It can be July and 90 degrees and we’re still watching the Grinch and he wears his Grinch pajamas pretty much every night,” Lencioni said.
Beginning at 10 a.m., more than 100 kids and parents descended on the Fox Valley Park District facility at 2121 W. Indian Trail Road for the holiday event, which included treats like Christmas cocoa and cookies as well as story time, singing, crafts and a special edition of “Whoville Bingo.”
Vaughan Athletic Center Recreational Supervisor Joanne Lamb said this was the second year the themed event has been offered.
“We had over 110 registered two days before the event and are taking people right up to the opening,” Lamb said before the event. “As far as the theme with the Grinch and Cindy Lou, I think it’s kind of neat. It’s just kind of a tradition. Parents were part of this and maybe a little bit of the fear of the Grinch has been passed on to their children. With the movies that have come out before – the animated movies keep the holiday spirit alive. It’s one of those things that has become part of the culture and a tradition passed down.”
Lamb said the event dubbed “Holiday Fun with the Grinch and Cindy Lou” included photo opportunities with the characters as well as “a couple of other stations.”
“We have bounce houses for the kids to jump around and get some of their holiday excitement out as well as two craft tables for two separate crafts including an ornament for hanging on a tree and a handprint project kids can bring home,” Lamb said.
Rick Karch and his wife Brandi of Aurora brought their son Ricky, who is just 6 months old, to the holiday event.
“My wife Brandi wanted to make sure we had pictures of him with the Grinch,” Rick Karch explained. “First, he saw Santa but now he has to seen the mean, green guy. He’s not afraid of the Grinch and he never will be.”
Karch said the story of the Grinch continues to resonate after so many years “because it offers a different side to Christmas.”
“You’ve got Santa and all that stuff but the Grinch has been a household staple for some time from my parents to me” and then on to his son, he said.
Jessica Figueroa of Aurora said she brought some Grinch fans with her to the event including her children Anthony, 9, and Isabella, 5.
“They both watch the movies,” she said. “This is a nice family activity.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.