Day 8: Frohliche Weihnachten!

Frohliche Weihnachten ("Merry Christmas" in German) to all of you! If I had a nickel for every time I heard/saw that little German phrase today, I'd have enough to pay for a trip to the ACTUAL Germany (and not "Michigan's Little Bavaria"). But since I'm still ever-so-broke, Frankenmuth will have to tide me over for now. Funny how you don't realize what a cool town you come from until you've been gone a while (and I haven't even been gone that long yet).

If you've never had the chance to take a trip to Frankenmuth, you should. And if you can do it around the holiday season, you get bonus points. If there's one thing people associate Frankenmuth with when I tell them where I'm from, it's Christmas. Frankenmuth, MI, boasts the world's largest Christmas store (Bronner's Christmas Wonderland).

One of my favorite feelings EVER is the one I got this on Friday night when I drove into Frankenmuth. Upon entry into town, one sees this huge store, buzzing with activity and bursting with light from the millions of Christmas lights hanging in and around the store.

Tonight I drove around town and took photos of some of the coolest places around town, and all the best light displays. Frankenmuth, tourist town though it may be, is completely safe and peacefully quiet at night. Tonight, probably because it's Christmas and everyone in Frankenmuth was at home, gathered around their Tannenbaums (Christmas trees), the entire town was silent. There was so little traffic that I was able to park my car right on Main St. and stand directly in the middle of the road and snap away with my camera. Funny how different Frankenmuth is from cities like Kalamazoo. Granted, I love Kzoo. But today was filled with hearing my dad and Oma (grandma) banter in German as we drank beer after church (yes, we're German and that's how we roll), eating "stollen" (German bread made with rum-soaked nuts and fruits), and hearing "Frohliche Weihnachten" wished to dozens of people. And I doubt there are too many other places besides Frankenmuth where that could happen.

Right now, I'm sitting in my mom's living room and we're watching "Meet Me in St. Louis." And little Tootie, the youngest daughter in the movie, is elated to be living in St. Louis. "Wasn't I lucky to be born in my favorite city?" she asks at one point in the movie. Thank you, dear Tootie. I totally agree.