by Nathan, age 9 from Chicago, Illinois, asks Santa about the Christmas Vacation house, Lake Michigan, and the origin of Chicago’s Windy City nickname.
Dear Santa, my name is Nathan, and I am nine years old. I live in Chicago, Illinois, where my dad says the wind off the lake gets so strong in December that everyone just calls our whole city the Windy City.
Dear Nathan, that wind has tested my sleigh more than once, your dad is not exaggerating one bit about Chicago’s breeze.
Santa, I have three questions.
Is the Christmas Vacation house real? My dad says the movie is set right around here in Chicago.
The story is set in a Chicago suburb, Nathan, but the actual house used for filming was built on a studio backlot out in California, not a real Chicago home you could visit. Sometimes movie magic borrows a city’s spirit without ever setting foot in it.
My teacher says Chicago sits right on the edge of one of the Great Lakes. Is that true?
It is true, Nathan, Chicago sits along Lake Michigan, one of the five Great Lakes, and that much water makes for a very reliable, very shiny landmark on my way to your rooftop.
My dad says Chicago is nicknamed the Windy City, and some people say it is actually about politicians talking too much, not the weather. Is that true?
That is one popular theory, Nathan, though most historians point to the genuinely strong lake winds as the real reason behind the nickname. Either way, it is a good reminder that even simple nicknames can carry more than one story.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Nathan Kowalski
Chicago, Illinois
P.S. Does the lake wind ever blow your sleigh off course?
Occasionally, Nathan, though the reindeer have learned to lean into it like true professionals.
