Well, I thought I would start a thread about favorite things to do in Michigan during the holidays or favorite memories of things to do.
Here are my two favorite memories:
When I was a child growing up in East Lansing, every New Years Eve my family and our next door neighbor family always went to the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth. It was very fun and always festive. I still remember stopping by Bronners for a look at the Christmas Decorations and enjoying shopping in the Bavarian Inn%26#39;s shops downstairs. I also remember driving home on back roads through snow and wind feeling very content. Very happy!
Another memory is from 7 years ago. We had just adopted our youngest daughter from Guatemala. We brought her ';home'; to Michigan to meet all of the relatives at Christmas. We decided to head to Boyne skiing and stayed at my sister%26#39;s place on Lake Charlevoix. It snowed 72 inches during the three days before our arrival. Watching my kids play in that snow on a moon filled night was fantastic. It was so deep and our new daughter was so small. It was such fun! She had never seen snow before and she still talks about that great introduction!
Anyone else want to share? Moms
Favorite memory or thing to do in Michigan at Christmas?Well sledding at Cascades in Jackson was always a blast. My parents had an old fashioned wood toboggan that could fit the whole family on it.
Favorite memory or thing to do in Michigan at Christmas?Hey Moms,
I totally remember that big snowstorm 7 years ago...we were building our house at the time and if I remember correctly, we had 78'; in 72 hours at our house. We%26#39;re on track for another bumper year snow-wise...after the foot we got last night, I%26#39;m over 3%26#39; deep in the yard already with snow in the forecast for the next week! The ski hills opened a week before Thanksgiving which in just unheard of....I%26#39;m lovin%26#39; it!!
Probably going to date myself here but what the heck.
Going to see Santa at the Ford Rotundra then driving by the Christmas disply on (I think) Outer Drive. Last display I recall was a big spaceship with Santa waving out of the capsule on top.
Almost every year, to kick off the holiday spirit, we attend Traverse City%26#39;s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in downtown TC. They put that huge tree up in the middle of the street and light it up. I just love it, since we have nothing really like that in our part of the state. The stores all stay open til about 9 that night, so we shop and people watch and get some coffee and visit with others. 2 years ago, it was absolutely beautiful out-the snowflakes were coming down in that slow, floating pattern, but the flakes were huge, but the moon was out too, and I think it was a full one. Strange, but true. Just a perfect night.
We always attend Saginaw%26#39;s Lighting, too. Watching the WaterWorks building and City Hall get lit up is always a treat. They now have the zoo open, singing at the local Holy Family Catholic church, Japanese Gardens are open for activities in the tea house, and other such businesses participate. And the fireworks afterward are always grand.
And I remember going to see Santa at the old Hudson%26#39;s in downtown Detroit. That was a real treat. I always had to dress up to the nines, which I hated....lol. And then we commenced with lot of shopping.
Woops, one more.
They have a wonderful Live Nativity put on at Immanuel Lutheran Church, located in Frankentrost, which is located about 5-7 miles out M-46 (East) from I-75. This is very popular, also. As you wait in line, you enter the church, and sit, while various singers, musicians, and carolers sing Christmas songs. Most of the time, the audience is welcome to join in singing the carols. When your group is called, you are given a ';tour'; of Bethlehem, and you are all given a family name. There are fires you pass, with groups of shepherds around them, trying to keep warm. You eventually get pulled into the taxation tent with Roman soldiers jostling you, berating you and so on. You then enter the town (market) of Bethlehem; there is so much going on, you will miss most of it! There are markets/stalls of food, ';goods,'; trinkets, animals (live and fake), material,cookware, seeds, spices, and so on and everyone is dressed in period clothing, within reason. (There will be snowmobile suits under those long garments and rubber boots-LOL). There are chickens, goats, camel (s), birds, maybe a cow (can%26#39;t remember), sheep..and then a full inn, so you must go to the manger, where there is Mary/Joseph, with a fake baby Jesus, of course. You then are taken to the school gym, where there is hot drinks, and cookies.
It is an excellent presentation and very lifelike. And the ';market'; they put on is fascinating. We sometimes go thru it twice. And no, you cannot stop to shop in the market.....
tymetravler... when it is this year?
Tyme: We have a similar Living Nativity near our house that is wonderful! I especially love when the vendors in Bethlehem try to sell you things! The funniest thing is that the pastor is from Michigan and told me he started this living nativity based on the living nativity at his childhood church. The two events sound so similar that I%26#39;m curious if it is the church you are referring to. We are going next weekend so I will be sure to ask him where in Michigan he is from. A small world indeed!
Your description of Traverse City is absolutely delightful. I can picture it in my mind based on your description. Beautiful! Moms
It is this weekend. I believe it starts at 6PM tonight (Saturday) and again on Sunday. It was also on Friday night.
Yes, ask that pastor! That would be very cool. I am not sure this has been going on that long, though. It is a medium sized church I%26#39;d say, so a lot of members give it their all during this presentation. They also beg ';us visitors'; to buy their wares....of course, you are told to ignore them.
We are going tonight L....
Thanks for the good words about TC, Moms. It truly is delightful. I miss ';downtown'; activities such as this. Impossible now, of course, especially in Saginaw.
Would that nativity be at St. John%26#39;s United Methodist Church in Hazlet, Moms? I was a member of that congregation in the early 1980s and there were so many Christmas exhibits in and around the building that busloads of people would come.
www.gbgm-umc.org/stjohns/christmas.html
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