Some people count down the days until they can pull the ornaments out of the attic. Others don't wait at all. In one small Michigan town, Christmas has a headquarters, a store so big it has become a destination in its own right.
The short answer: the town is Frankenmuth, Michigan, population about 5,000, and the store is Bronner's Christmas Wonderland. Bronner's promotes itself as the World's Largest Christmas Store. Its building covers more than 7 acres, and over two million people visit each year.
Michigan's Little Bavaria
Frankenmuth was founded by Lutheran immigrants from the Franconia region of Bavaria, in Germany. They set sail in April 1845, arrived in New York about seven weeks later, and made their way through canals and the Great Lakes to Michigan that August.
The town's name blends two German words: Franken, for Franconia, and Mut, meaning courage. So Frankenmuth means courage of the Franconians. The settlers chose a hilly spot that reminded them of home and planned an entirely German Lutheran community.
Their original purpose was religious. The group hoped to start a mission among Native Americans, and one of the first large buildings they put up was a church. German immigrants kept arriving in the area right up until the start of World War II.
That heritage is still everywhere. Frankenmuth's most popular nickname is Little Bavaria. German still appears on signs and in conversation, and the town's St. Lorenz church offers a monthly service in German. Since 1990, Frankenmuth has also held its own Oktoberfest.
A Christmas Store Like No Other
Bronner's was founded in 1945 by Wally Bronner. Today its Alpine chalet-style building covers about 320,000 square feet, with landscaped grounds spread across 27 acres.
Visitors are greeted by three 17-foot Santas and a 15-foot snowman outside the entrance. Inside are about 800 animated figures, more than 350 decorated Christmas trees, and products from 70 countries. Outside, some 100,000 lights glow along a half-mile stretch called Christmas Lane.
The numbers are staggering. The store carries more than 50,000 items. Each year it sells about 600,000 glass ornaments, 530,000 feet of garland, and 86,000 light sets, which add up to nearly 530 miles of light cords. Bronner's also holds the exclusive right to sell Precious Moments Christmas figurines.
The Busiest Weekend of the Year
The holidays are Bronner's peak season. The weekend after Thanksgiving is the busiest of all, drawing more than 50,000 visitors. During the season, from October to Christmas, the store employs more than 500 people.
In 1976, the state of Michigan even designated Bronner's an official Embassy for Michigan Tourism.
A Chapel for Silent Night
One of the store's most touching features isn't for sale. In 1992, with permission from the government of Austria, Bronner's built a replica of the Silent Night Memorial Chapel in Oberndorf, Austria, as a tribute to the beloved Christmas hymn.
The store has weathered hard times too. On Christmas Day in 2010, vandals damaged or destroyed about 75 displays, causing an estimated $40,000 in damage. Five men later pleaded guilty.
Wally Bronner died in 2008 at age 81, and Irene Bronner died in 2022 at 95. Their store lives on as one of the most famous holiday stops in America. If you love Christmas, a trip to Frankenmuth might just be the perfect excuse to start celebrating early.
