🍦South Suburbs Scoop

December 12th, 2025

John Sintich
December 12, 2025

Happy Friday!

This time of the year can be stressful. Remember to take some time to reflect on how lucky we are to be able to celebrate the holidays with family and friends.

Here’s what’s happening in our neck of the woods:

HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY CLOSES SOON! WIN $1,000K!
Waffles Kafe Opens in Frankfort
New Culinary Business in Frankfort Now Taking Reservations for January
Check out Multiple Upcoming Holiday Events in Our Area
Local Job Opportunities
Area Live Music and Sports
Real Estate Round Up

To Our Readers: What would you like to see more in the newsletter? Email [email protected] to provide your feedback!

Let’s Get Into It!

-John

2025 HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY CLOSES SUNDAY!

The 2025 Holiday Giveaway is to show our appreciation for all of our wonderful family, friends, clients and members of our community. We know that the holiday season can put a financial strain on us all and we want to reduce the burden by giving away a $1,000 Visa Gift Card to a lucky winner!

All you need to do to enter is fill out the survey! Once you fill it out and click SUBMIT, you will be automatically entered into the drawing.

You have until 11:59 pm on Sunday, December 14th, 2025 to enter. The winner will be announced on Monday, December 15th, 2025! Click HERE to enter!!!

WHAT’S NEW IN THE SOUTH ‘BURBS

📍 New Waffles Kafe Now Open in Frankfort - Details

📍 Frankfort’s New Whisk & Flame Now Taking Reservations for January - Details

📍 More Old Plank Trail Improvements Complete Starting in New Lenox - Details

📍 ComEd Customers to Receive $803M in Credits throughout Illinois - Details

📍 Orland Park Library Receives $8,000 Donation - Details

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…

📍 Guardrail And Temporary Stripping Completed at Eastern Ave in Manhattan - Details

📍 Tinley Park’s Harmony Square’s New Ice Rink and More - Details

📍 New S&T Too Pizza Opens (Shorewood) -Details

UPCOMING HOLIDAY EVENTS IN OUR AREA

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

📍 Dec 13 - Online Holiday Auction for Will County Habitat for Humanity - Details

📍 Where to Buy Christmas Trees in Our Area - Details

📍 Ongoing - Meet The Grinch at Joey’s Red Hots (Multiple Locations) - Details

📍 Upcoming Holiday Events with Kozy Knits (Multiple Locations) - Details

📍 December Kids Freebies at Home Depot, Michaels, etc. - Details

NEW LENOX

📍 Dec 13 - Santa Appearance at First Bank of Manhattan - Details

📍 Dec 13 - Chicagoland Lionel Railroad Club - Details

📍 Dec 13 - Fundraiser for New Lenox Township Food Pantry - Details

📍 Dec 14 - St. Jude School Breakfast with Santa - Details

📍 Dec 16 - North Shore Chicago Bakery Bus - Details

📍 Dec 21 - Lunch with the Grinch & Ornament Making at Rosati’s - Details

📍 Dec 30 - Noon Year’s Eve Party at the Ice Rink - Details

MOKENA

📍 Voting Ends Soon for Mokena’s Holiday Tree Contest! - Details

📍 Dec 12 - Photos with Santa at Urban Air Adventure Park - Details

📍 Dec 13 - Mokena Winter Holiday Party at Mokena Library - Details

📍 Dec 14 - Donuts with Santa at St. John’s UCC - Details

📍 Dec 19 - Second Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Fox’s Pizza - Details

📍 Dec 21 - NAWS Pet & Family Photos with the Grinch - Details

📍 Dec 21 - Mokena Miracles Wrap Day - Details

📍 Dec 31 - New Year’s Eve Balloon Drop Bash at Urban Air Adventure Park - Details

FRANKFORT

📍 Midnight Madness Local Business Sales End Soon! - Details

📍 Ongoing - Where to Send Letters to Santa - Details

📍 Dec 12 - 30th Annual Midnight Madness Shopping Event - Details

📍 Dec 12 - Christmas Vendor Fair at Stray Bar - Details

📍 Dec 12 - Jingle Jam Drop Off Party at the Square - Details

📍 Dec 13 - Santa Appearance at Tiny Tots Play Cafe - Details

📍 Dec 13 & 14 - Home for the Holidays Event at Breidert Green - Details

📍 Dec 14 - Frozen Themed Party at Social 45 - Details

📍 Dec 17 - Senior Breakfast at the Square - Details

📍 Dec 19 - Jingle Jam Drop Off Party at the Square - Details

📍 Dec 31 - Noon Years Eve Kids’ Breakfast/Brunch at Social 45 - Details

ORLAND PARK

📍 Dec 13 - Pancakes with Mayor Dodge and Santa - Details

📍 Dec 13 - Blood Donation Drive at Civic Center - Details

📍 Dec 13 - Skate with Santa at Winter Wonderland Ice Rink - Details

📍 Dec 13 - Story Time with Santa at Buona - Details

📍 Dec 13 - Ho Ho Ho Holiday Trolley Bar Crawl - Details

📍 Dec 13 & 14 - One Man Christmas Carol Performance - Details

📍 Until Dec 13 - Mental Health Center Seeking Donations for Holiday Season - Details

📍 Dec 14 - The Grinch Day at Plush Horse - Details

📍 Dec 20 - Second Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Fox’s Pizza - Details

📍 Dec 31 - Children’s New Year Celebration at Civic Center - Details

📍 Dec 31 - Rink in the New Year at Winter Wonderland Ice Rink - Details

TINLEY PARK

📍 Dec 12 - Oil Pastel Workshop at Soundgrowler - Details

📍 Dec 14 - Meet & Greet with Santa at Flipside Brewing - Details

📍 Dec 14 - Brunch with Santa & Mrs. Claus at Hailstorm Brewing - Details

📍 Dec 14 - Banging Gavel Brunch with Santa - Details

📍 Dec 13 and 14 - Beyond the Nutcracker - Details

📍 Dec 14 - Breakfast with Santa at Odyssey - Details

📍 Dec 14 - Christmas Spectacular: Claus and Effect - Details

📍 Dec 20 - 4th Annual Zumbathon Holiday Event - Details

📍 Dec 21 - Sip, Stitch, & Be Merry by Hailstorm Brewing and Kozy Knits - Details

MANHATTAN

📍 Dec 13 and 14 - Christkindl Market - Details

CHICAGO & MORE

📍 Now Open: Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic Experience (Chicago) - Details

📍 Now Open: Illumination Event at The Morton Arboretum (Chicago) - Details

📍 Until to Dec 31 - Second City Rudolph Runs Wild Kids Show (Chicago) - Details

📍 Until Jan 2 - Village Festival of Lights (Romeoville) -Details

📍 Until Jan 4 - Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier (Chicago) -Details

📍 Until to Jan 5 - Griffin Museum Christmas Around the World (Chicago) - Details

📍 Dec 13 - The Rat Pack is Back for the Holidays at Rialto Square (Joliet) -Details

📍 Dec 13 - Free Special Needs Visit with Santa (Homer Glen) -Details

📍 Dec 13 - Winter Wonderfest 2025 (Lemont) -Details

📍 Dec 14 - Chicago Artisan Market (Chicago) -Details

📍 Dec 16 - Holiday Vendor Bazaar At Victorian Village (Homer Glen) -Details

📍 Dec 20 - Ultimate Elvis Christmas Show at Rialto Square (Joliet) - Details

📍 Dec 20 - Windy City Thunderbolts Holiday Open House (Crestwood) - Details

📍 Dec 20 - Holiday Toy Swap (Homer Glen) - Details

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

📍 Living Waters Children’ Center Hiring Teachers (Manhattan) - Details

📍 Dec 16 - Youth Summer Job Fair in Tinley Park - Details

📍 Tinley Park Hiring Building Official - Details

📍 Multiple Job Openings In Mokena - Details

📍 Jan 15 - 3rd Annual Southwest Job Fair in Orland Park - Details

UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS & OFFERINGS

📍 Dec 16 - Tuesday $500 Bingo Night at North & Maple (New Lenox) - Details

📍 Dec 17 - Trivia Night at Hickory Creek Brewing (New Lenox) - Details

📍 Dec 17 - Lunch Bunch at Oak Recreation and Fitness - Details

📍 Dec 17 - Line Dancers Anonymous at Jamo’s Live (Mokena) - Details

📍 Dec 18 - Thursday Ladies Night at Bow Doc Archery (Mokena) - Details

📍 Dec 18 - Singo Bingo Night at Hickory Creek Brewing (New Lenox) - Details

📍 Dec 20 - Peewee Picasso’s Children’s Art Event at the Library (New Lenox) - Details

📍 Jan 2 - Winter Dragons Reading Program Family Movie Night (Orland Park) - Details

CHEAPEST GAS IN THE SOUTH BURBS!

PRICES AS OF 12/11 - Website

📍 Manhattan - $2.94 - Same as Last Week

📍 New Lenox - $3.11 ⬆️ From Last Week

📍 Mokena - $2.89 ⬇️ From Last Week

📍 Frankfort - $2.89 ⬇️ From Last Week

Get Access to Homes You Won’t Find Online!

🔒 The best deals never hit Zillow or Redfin.
I’ll send you private listings you won’t see anywhere else.

THIS WEEK’S LOCAL LIVE MUSIC

📍 STAPLETON / CHURCH EXPERIENCE - Jamo’s Live (Mokena) 🎟 Details
💲$12.55 | 📅 Fri, Dec 12 | 9PM

📍 COCO & FANCY LIVE - Hickory Creek (New Lenox) 🎟 Details
💲Free | 📅 Fri, Dec 12 | 6:30PM

📍 FLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE - Jamo’s Live (Mokena) 🎟 Details
💲$12.55 | 📅 Sat, Dec 13 | 8:30PM

📍 DAN JESLIS LIVE - Hickory Creek (New Lenox) 🎟 Details
💲Free | 📅 Sat, Dec 13 | 6:30PM

📍 OPEN MIC NIGHT - Hickory Creek (New Lenox) 🎟 Details
💲Free | 📅Tues, Dec 16 | 6:30PM

📍 LIVE JAZZ ORCHESTRA- North & Maple (Tinley Park) 🎟 Details
💲Free | 📅Weds, Dec 17 | 6:30PM

CHICAGOLAND MUSIC & MORE

📍 Dec 12 - Chris Isaak at Rialto Square (Joliet) - Details

📍 Dec 12 - The Jonas Brothers 20th Anniversary Tour (Rosemont) - Details

📍 Dec 19 & 20 - PBR Chicago “Bucking Into the Windy City” (Chicago) - Details

📍 Dec 31 - Jeff Dunham: Artificial Intelligence Tour (Rosemont) - Details

AREA SPORTS & MORE

📍 Bears Hosts Cleveland on Sunday

📍 Bulls Hosts the Pelicans on Sunday

📍 Blackhawks Hosts the Redwings on Saturday

Find Your Dream Home — Faster.

🔍 Stop wasting time scrolling outdated listings.
Use my real-time search tool and get instant access to the newest homes in our area.

Real Estate Roundup

This week, the Chicagoland area including Cook and Will county have 9,335 available homes for sale. That is a decrease from last week's total of 9,598 homes available for sale.

The average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate as of today is: 6.26%.

Mokena - Just Listed: 2 ⎸ Closed: 7
New Lenox - Just Listed: 6 ⎸ Closed: 9
Tinley Park- Just Listed: 20 ⎸ Closed: 18
Frankfort - Just Listed: 5 ⎸ Closed: 7