Sparkling Frankenmuth Christmas all year long Feature and photos by Richard Varr
Giant candy canes dangle from lampposts, sparkling in the night sky. Reindeer hop along a graveled life- sized diorama of sorts, pulling Old Saint Nick’s red sleigh brimming with presents. A golden illuminated Christmas stocking stands maybe ten feet tall; while singing and trumpeting carolers dressed in 19th- century Victorian-era garb stand before a giant Christmas ball ornament. There’s even a manger scene with angels rejoicing above. The Christmas spirit is upon us in Frankenmuth, Michigan, yet it’s only mid September. During my evening walk along the grounds of what’s touted to be the world’s largest Christmas store, Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland®, the twinkling lights are aglow—with a mix of colors and familiar holiday themes that most of us enjoy typically from late November through early January. But in this small riverside town and surrounding farming community, you can revel in the warmth of Christmas any time of the year. “It’s like having Christmas every day. It’s beautiful,” says store employee Cherie Miller. “When you come to work it puts you in a beautiful mood.” Bronner’s
Christmas decorations lit up at night on the grounds of Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland store in Frankenmuth
lives up to its reputation with more than 300 holiday trees and some 50,000 ornaments and other holiday items for sale. It’s open year-round except for a few holidays—it’s closed on Christmas Day. Often referred to as “Michigan’s Little Bavaria,” Frankenmuth was founded by 15 German settlers in 1845. Today, the town has a population of about 5,000 full-time residents, yet tourists flood its streets, restaurants, and other family-friendly attractions mostly during warmer weather months and the weeks
SPARKLING FRANKENMUTH
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SPRING 2026 | 18
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker