For over a century, the day after Thanksgiving has been the busiest shopping day of the year.

Chicago may not have an ocean, but we do have Lake Michigan. We are a maritime city. This is one day to remember that tradition, with the story of the Christmas Tree ships.Around the turn of the 20th Century, the German custom of decorating Christmas trees was taking hold in Chicago.

In March 1939 John Drury began writing a series of articles in the Chicago Daily News about some of the city's older houses. The articles ran a thousand words each and appeared weekly.

"The new, gleaming jewel of the lakefront" was dedicated on this November 18th in 1960. That would be the first version of McCormick Place.The mammoth exhibition hall was the pet project of the Tribune's longtime publisher, Col. Robert R. McCormick.

Chicago has a major park called Humboldt Park, an official community area called Humboldt Park, and a dignified old avenue called Humboldt Boulevard.

It's a story they told in the newsroom of the Chicago American, many years ago.A young reporter named Harry Reutlinger had been sent to get an interview with a patient at Columbus Hospital.

In a sense, today is the birthday of WBEZ.Ninety years ago on this date, Chicago was introduced to the latest method of instantaneous communication. They called it radio-telephony--or just plain radio.The city was a late starter in this particular technology.