Inside the magical town where it's Christmas for 361 days a year, with horse-drawn carriage rides, twinkling lights, an ice rink and 36p souvenirs

Published: 04:44 EDT, 4 November 2026 | Updated: 04:53 EDT, 4 November 2026 You might complain when the signs of Christmas begin to appear from the very start of November – but for one town, it's a year-round occasion.Frankenmuth in Michigan is arguably the most festive town in the US – where it's Christmas for almost every day of the year. It is home to the world’s largest Christmas store, Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, which spans 27 acres and sells more than 50,000 trinkets and other festive goods – and is open 361 days a year.Plus, you don't have to splash the cash to get a slice of the action – you can bring home a festive souvenir from as little as 36p, with a free personalisation. In fact, Frankenmuth is often dubbed Michigan’s Little Bavaria on account of its festive fever.Here, you can soak up the magic of Christmas almost year-round, with the town’s Christmas lights staying up throughout the year. Frankenmuth in Michigan is one of the most Christmassy towns in the world It is home to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the world's largest Christmas shop Open for a total of 361 days a year, Bronner's Chistmas Wonderland spans 27 acres It was voted among the top small-town getaways to get a true Christmas escape across the US and Canada by North American travel experts at Journeyscape. In the ranking, Frankenmuth places second with a score of 7.03 out of 10, with 11.4 inches of December snowfall and a 47.3 per cent white Christmas probability. But really, this is a town that doesn’t need much encouragement to get festive – Christmas is part of its identity almost all year round. Frankenmuth was founded by German missionaries in 1845, a core reason for retaining its Bavarian architecture and traditions today.During the festive season, you can expect horse-drawn carriage rides through the streets, twinkling lights and an ice rink.The town itself boasts a toytown Old World architecture and plenty of beer, bratwurst and lederhosen. The town has been dubbed Michigan's Little Bavaria for its architectural appearance The town is especially pretty during the Christmas seasonOutside Cheese Haus, which has been owned by the same family for generations, locals carve blocks of cheddar into towering sculptures at a festival each June.The town, which is home to about 5,000 residents, is also known for its Oktoberfest festival – the first official celebration of the festival outside Munich. The Frankenmuth website reads: 'Welcome to play time. Welcome to Christmastime all-year-long... Heritage and hospitality are the heart, passion, and story of Frankenmuth. 'Traditions and history are experienced through the community’s culture today in the Bavarian architecture, beautiful landscapes, and welcoming world-class hospitality.'