People walk past decorated trees in the 400 block of North Michigan Avenue Dec. 8, 2021, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
It’s that time of year when you might be frenzied about a doctoral thesis-sized holiday shopping list of relatives, significant others and friends to buy for, and not nearly enough time to finish. You might be handwringing about the Christmas dinner, what sides to serve, who should sit next to each other and who should be seats apart at the table for the sake of family detente.
This December, however, you might be worrying about something else. Is it safe to shop along the Magnificent Mile? Given the recent surge in flash mob retail thefts and other episodes of violent crime downtown, is it better to confine all holiday shopping to online only?