The World's Biggest Christmas Shop Is The Festive Gem Of Michigan's 'Little Bavaria'

If you want Christmas cheer year-round, there's a shop in one of Michigan's picture-perfect towns that can make it happen. The music of sleigh bells hums through the air, thousands of ornaments deck towering shelves and aisles, and you can browse through decorations from around the world. That's exactly what you'll find at Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland.

Here, you can personalize hand-painted ornaments, explore themed trinkets from 70 countries, and stand under thousands of lights on its Christmas Lane. Bronner's was named the world's largest Christmas store by the World Record Academy, and the building alone covers 320,000 square feet, which is nearly the size of 5.5 football fields. The store is based in Frankenmuth, Michigan's "Little Bavaria," a quaint city with horse-drawn carriages and German-style architecture that add to the festive atmosphere. So get that Christmas list finalized and make a beeline for the largest Christmas shop on the planet (outside of Santa's workshop, obviously).

Bronner's was originally started by Wally Bronner. He began a business painting signs in his parents' basement as a teenager. After graduating from high school in 1945, he made painting his full-time job by creating window displays and signage. Six years later, Wally landed a project designing Christmas panels for lampposts in Clare, Michigan's "City of Festivals", setting him on the path to Christmas decorations. In 1954, his father helped build his first store in Frankenmuth. Over the next couple of decades, Wally expanded his business to the Christmas wonderland it is today.

Bronner's now carries more than 50,000 holiday items. You can find everything from 6,000 types of ornaments to wooden nutcrackers to Santa suits, advent calendars, colorful stockings, snow globes, and other seasonal goods. Its showroom, which is about the size of 1.7 football fields, is filled with more than 300 decorated trees, nativity scenes, and twinkling lights. With all the illuminated bulbs inside and outside the building, it's no surprise that Bronner's has stated it spends about $1,250 a day on electricity.

Each year, more than 2 million people make their way to Bronner's. The store is especially busy the weekend after Thanksgiving, when almost 50,000 shoppers stop by to start preparing for Christmas. However, Bronner's isn't just a seasonal destination. It welcomes guests 361 days a year, which means you'll still get to experience the joy of Christmas if you visit in the middle of summer.

The closest airport to Bronner's is Bishop International Airport in Flint, the most affordable place to buy a home in 2025. From there, it's about a 30-minute drive north to the store. For a larger air hub, the store is only a 90-minute drive from the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. As you approach Bronner's, keep an eye out for two large holiday figures: a 17-foot-tall Santa and a 15-foot snowman. Once you're done shopping, make sure to stick around after sunset. Bronner's half-mile-long Christmas Lane glows with 100,000 sparkling lights and animated holiday displays.