Every family has a list of Christmas traditions; one of the season’s first is the Annual Holiday Walk at the Cultural Center, a free event. During this event, the beautiful 33-acre Cultural Center campus is transformed into a winter wonderland with holiday light displays, festive music, holiday theatre performances, seasonal craft demonstrations, refreshments and much more. Flint Mayor Dayne Walling and Santa Claus kick off the walk every year when they light the Christmas tree at the annual tree lighting ceremony, says Sarah Dunne, Event Coordinator. Walling has been part of the tree-lighting tradition since 2009 and looks forward to it every year, she said. The evening’s most popular event, according to Sarah, comes after the tree is lit, when Santa makes his way to The Whiting for family visits and photo opportunities. “There is something so magical about getting your photo taken with Santa at the Whiting,” says Sarah, “Visitors line up for hours!”

Decorating fir trees for Christmas is an age-old tradition, and we all enjoy hauling home a freshly cut Blue Spruce and pulling out our box of funky ornaments made from Popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners with which to decorate our tree. It’s doubtful, however, that we pull out as many ornaments as Steve Lowry and Tom Price of Fandangles’. The partners in the famous Flushing eatery set up a Christmas tree every year adorned with several hundred crystal ornaments from a 32-year-old collection, creating a breathtaking display that enhances the atmosphere of their dining space.

Christmas at Crossroads is literally lighting up the holiday season this year with thousands of lights decorating the authentic, turn-of-the-19th-century village. Executive Director Amy McMillan says that while the Huckleberry Railroad is probably the most iconic part of Christmas at Crossroads, “it’s the whole atmosphere – the Village is really a community, and not a don’t-touch museum—that makes the experience memorable and brings people back year after year.”