Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Mundelein for 2026. The Winter Tree-Lighting Festival fills Courtland Commons on Saturday, December 5, and Santa’s Cottage, a downtown tradition since 1993, opens the same afternoon and again on December 12 and 19. Both are free. We check every date on the host’s own website and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Illinois Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Mundelein
- 2 free Christmas events for kids in Mundelein
- Winter Tree-Lighting Festival: Saturday, December 5, 3 to 6 pm
- Santa’s Cottage: December 5 (3 to 5 pm), 12 and 19 (noon to 3 pm)
- Both at Courtland Commons by Village Hall
- Every date checked on the Village of Mundelein and MCC sites on Nov 11
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Free Christmas events for kids in Mundelein
Tree lighting festivalFree
Winter Tree-Lighting Festival
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 3 to 6 pm
- Where: Courtland Commons, 444 E Courtland St, Mundelein, IL 60060 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Mundelein gathers at Courtland Commons, next to Village Hall, on the first Saturday of December for its Winter Tree-Lighting Festival as the afternoon turns to dusk.
It lands on the same afternoon Santa’s Cottage opens for the season, so families can meet Santa first and then stay outside for the lighting.
Parent tip: Come by 3 pm, visit Santa’s Cottage before the line grows, then hold your spot on the Commons for the tree. Dress for standing outside after sunset.
- Host
- Village of Mundelein (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Courtland Commons, 444 E Courtland St, Mundelein, IL 60060 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Mundelein events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Mundelein daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Mundelein.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Mundelein event researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Mundelein.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Mundelein before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Coming up on this page
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Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Mundelein every week.
Visit Santa in his cottageFree
Santa’s Cottage
- When: Saturdays: December 5, 2026, 3 to 5 pm; December 12 and 19, 2026, noon to 3 pm
- Where: Courtland Commons, 444 E Courtland St, Mundelein, IL 60060 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Since 1993 Mundelein kids have visited Santa one on one inside a little volunteer-built cottage, the idea of longtime resident Oscar Demski, who wanted something cozier than a mall line.
Mundelein Community Connection runs it with Santa, Mrs. Claus and a crew of elves, and local businesses chip in refreshments and gift bags for the kids.
Parent tip: The wait is outdoors by design, so bring hats and mittens. December 12 and 19 run noon to 3 pm if the tree-lighting Saturday is too busy.
- Host
- Mundelein Community Connection (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Courtland Commons, 444 E Courtland St, Mundelein, IL 60060 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Mundelein events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Mundelein daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Mundelein.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our Illinois Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Mundelein Christmas event for kids happens
Saturday, December 5, is the big day: see Santa in his cottage from 3 pm, then stay for the tree lighting on the Commons. If the line is long, come back on December 12 or 19 for a calmer visit.
- Winter Tree-Lighting FestivalMundelein · Dec 5
- Santa’s CottageMundelein · Dec 5 to Dec 19
Looking further afield? Our Illinois Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Lake Zurich, Gurnee, Wheeling and South Barrington. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.
A story for the drive home
A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonKeep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every Illinois city.
Mundelein Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Mundelein this year?
Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 2 Christmas events for kids in Mundelein for 2026: the Winter Tree-Lighting Festival and Santa’s Cottage, both at Courtland Commons and both free.
When is the Mundelein tree lighting in 2026?
The Winter Tree-Lighting Festival is Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 3 to 6 pm at Courtland Commons, 444 East Courtland Street. It is free.
When can kids visit Santa’s Cottage in Mundelein?
Saturday, December 5, from 3 to 5 pm, and Saturdays, December 12 and 19, from noon to 3 pm, 2026. Visits are free.
Who runs Santa’s Cottage?
Mundelein Community Connection, a volunteer group, with help from local businesses and the Mundelein Public Works Department, which sets up the cottage.
Who do I contact about Mundelein holiday events?
Mundelein Community Connection at info@mundeleincommunityconnection.org or (847) 970-9235, and Village Hall at info@mundelein.org.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Illinois?
Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Illinois Christmas train rides page.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked Mundelein on November 11, 2026. Rally is also contacting each organizer to confirm details like parking, restrooms and bad-weather plans.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.