Frankenmuth Christmas: 15 Little Bavaria Decor Ideas You Can Copy for Pennies

Frankenmuth Christmas is the kind of holiday that looks like it jumped off a greeting card. This small Michigan town, nicknamed Little Bavaria, was settled in 1845 by Lutheran immigrants from Franconia in Germany, and its name means courage of the Franconians. Today it is home to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, a giant Alpine style store that calls itself the world’s largest Christmas store and welcomes over two million visitors a year. A recent reel about it gathered more than 330,000 reactions. Most of us will never make the trip, but you can still bring that cozy Bavarian village feeling home. Below are 15 easy decor ideas inspired by Frankenmuth, from painted folk hearts to a tiny glowing chalet lane, each made from cheap and simple supplies..

Frankenmuth Christmas at Home

The Christmas store itself is huge. The building covers about 7.35 acres, and about 100,000 lights shine along its half mile Christmas Lane. Founded in 1945 by Wally Bronner, it has become a bucket list stop for families across the country. But the real magic of the town is simple: red and white, painted wood, gingham, glowing windows and a little bit of folk art everywhere you look. Every idea below takes that same look and shrinks it down for your own home..

You will need: Red, white and green paint, wooden craft shapes, gingham ribbon, small faux evergreen trees and battery LED fairy lights.

How to make it: 1. Choose a red, white and green color plan. 2. Pick one spot, like the mantel or a hutch, to become your little Bavarian corner. 3. Add a few painted wood pieces and gingham bows. 4. Finish with warm LED lights.

Frankenmuth Christmas Chalet Birdhouse Mantel

Plain wooden birdhouses from the craft store turn into a whole Alpine village with a little paint. Give each one white walls, dark brown beams and a red or green roof, then add a sprinkle of faux snow on top. Line them up along the mantel with greenery and they look like the streets of Frankenmuth in winter. Tuck LED fairy lights behind them for a soft glow at night. How many houses will be on your street?

You will need: Small unfinished wooden birdhouses, white, brown, red and green acrylic paint, fine brushes, faux snow, greenery and LED fairy lights.

How to make it: 1. Paint the walls white and let dry. 2. Add brown lines for half timber beams. 3. Paint the roofs red or green and add snow. 4. Arrange on the mantel with greenery and lights.

Painted Wooden Heart Ornaments With Folk Flowers

Folk painted hearts are everywhere in Bavarian Christmas decor. Paint wooden hearts red, then add simple white dot flowers, tiny green leaves and a scalloped border. They do not need to be perfect, and that is part of the charm. Hang them on the tree, tie them to gifts or string them into a garland. This is one of the easiest ways to bring a Frankenmuth Christmas feel to any room. Who will get one tied to their present?

You will need: Wooden heart cutouts, red, white and green acrylic paint, a dotting tool or the end of a paintbrush, and red and white twine.

How to make it: 1. Paint the hearts red and let dry. 2. Dot five white petals in a circle for each flower. 3. Add small green leaves with a thin brush. 4. Seal and hang with twine.

Frankenmuth Christmas Gingham Ribbon Tree

Red and white gingham is the fabric version of a Frankenmuth Christmas. Tie dozens of simple bows and clip them all over the tree, then add wooden ornaments and white lights. It looks cheerful, homey and very old world. A single roll of ribbon can make enough bows for a small tree. Once the bows are made, they can be used year after year. Ready to tie your first bow?

You will need: Two or three rolls of red and white gingham ribbon, scissors, floral wire and white LED string lights.

How to make it: 1. Cut ribbon into 20 inch pieces. 2. Tie each one into a simple bow. 3. Twist floral wire around the knot. 4. Attach the bows evenly all over the tree.

A Mini Frankenmuth Christmas Lane on a Tray

Bring home your own little Christmas Lane. Line two rows of mini bottle brush trees along a long tray, add a path of faux snow down the middle and weave tiny LED fairy lights through the trees. Put a small house or chalet at the end. At night, it glows like the real thing. It makes a sweet centerpiece for a coffee table or dining table. Where will your lane lead?

You will need: A long wooden or metal tray, mini bottle brush trees, faux snow, a small chalet or house and battery LED fairy lights.

How to make it: 1. Spread faux snow across the tray. 2. Set trees in two rows to form a lane. 3. Place the house at one end. 4. Weave the LED lights between the trees.

Glass Ornament Wall in a Vintage Window Frame

For a Frankenmuth Christmas touch, an old window frame becomes a showcase for your prettiest glass ornaments. Hang ornaments from ribbons at different heights inside each pane, and they catch the light like a shop window in Frankenmuth. It is a lovely way to show off a collection without crowding the tree. Thrift stores and yard sales often have old frames for very little. Which ornaments deserve a front row seat?

You will need: An old window frame with the glass removed, small cup hooks, thin ribbons, glass ornaments and sturdy wall hooks.

How to make it: 1. Clean and lightly sand the frame. 2. Screw cup hooks along the top of each pane. 3. Tie ornaments on ribbons of different lengths. 4. Hang the frame securely on the wall.

Salt Dough Pretzel and Evergreen Wreath

Pretzels are a big part of German food culture, so why not on your wreath? Shape salt dough into little pretzels, bake them until hard, and paint them a golden brown. Wire them onto an evergreen wreath with a red bow. They are not for eating, but they look so real that guests will smile. It is a fun twist on a classic wreath. Would yours hang on the kitchen door?

You will need: Salt dough made from flour, salt and water, brown and gold paint, sealer, a faux evergreen wreath, floral wire and red ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Roll dough into thin ropes and twist into pretzel shapes. 2. Bake low and slow until hard, with an adult handling the oven. 3. Paint, add white dots for salt and seal. 4. Wire them onto the wreath.

Painted Toy Soldier Porch Posts

Tall toy soldiers standing guard by the front door give your porch a Frankenmuth Christmas welcome, like a step into a German village. Use old fence posts or wood scraps, paint them in red jackets and black hats, and add gold buttons. They are easy to make with simple shapes and bold colors. Place one on each side of the door for a welcoming touch. Will your soldiers wear red or blue coats?

You will need: Two wood posts or 4×4 scraps, outdoor paint in red, black, white, gold and skin tones, brushes and outdoor sealer.

How to make it: 1. Sand the posts smooth. 2. Mark bands for the hat, face, jacket and pants. 3. Paint each band and add buttons and a belt. 4. Seal well for outdoor use.

Stenciled Edelweiss Tea Towels as Gifts

Edelweiss, the little white Alpine flower everyone knows from songs and postcards, makes a sweet Frankenmuth Christmas gift idea. Stencil a row of them on plain cotton tea towels with fabric paint, then fold and tie with red ribbon. They make simple, pretty gifts for neighbors, teachers and hostesses. You can make a whole stack in one afternoon. Who on your list would love a touch of the Alps in the kitchen?

You will need: Plain cotton tea towels, an Edelweiss stencil, white and green fabric paint, a stencil brush and ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Wash and iron the towels. 2. Tape the stencil near one edge. 3. Dab paint lightly through the stencil. 4. Let dry, heat set with an iron and tie with ribbon.

Felted Wool Gnome Ornaments in Alpine Hats

Little gnomes in pointed Alpine hats look right at home on a Bavarian style tree. Make them with felt cones for hats, wool roving for beards and a wooden bead for the nose. No sewing needed, just a little glue. They are quick to make and fun to give as gifts. Make a whole family of them in different hat colors. What will you name your first gnome?

You will need: Felt in red, green and gray, wool roving, wooden beads, fabric glue and thin ribbon for hanging.

How to make it: 1. Cut a felt triangle and roll it into a cone hat. 2. Glue a puff of wool roving under it as a beard. 3. Add a wooden bead nose. 4. Glue a ribbon loop at the top.

Wooden Spool Garland in Red, White and Green

Wooden spools and beads painted red, white and green make a cheerful garland that looks like an old toy shop. String them on jute twine with a few wooden stars in between. Drape it along a shelf, the tree or a door frame. It is a calm, simple project to make while listening to Christmas music. This little garland brings a real Frankenmuth Christmas feeling to any corner. Where will yours hang?

You will need: Small wooden spools and beads, red, white and green paint, jute twine and a few wooden star cutouts.

How to make it: 1. Paint the spools and beads and let dry. 2. Thread them onto twine in a repeating pattern. 3. Add a wooden star every few spools. 4. Knot the ends and hang.

Clip On Bird Ornaments in a Grapevine Wreath

Clip on bird ornaments are a classic in old world Christmas shops. Nest a few of them in a plain grapevine wreath with a little moss and a tiny nest, and you have a sweet woodland wreath. It looks lovely on a door, a window or above a bed. It is quick to make and costs very little. Which colors will your birds be?

You will need: A grapevine wreath, clip on bird ornaments, a little moss, a small bird nest and a ribbon for hanging.

How to make it: 1. Tuck moss into a few spots on the wreath. 2. Place the nest near the bottom. 3. Clip birds around the wreath. 4. Add a ribbon loop at the top.

Half Timbered Frankenmuth Christmas Dollhouse

A plain cardboard box can become a charming half timbered house like the ones on Frankenmuth’s main street. Cut out windows, paint the walls cream and add dark beams with a marker or paint. Put a small LED light inside and the windows glow at night. Kids and grandkids love helping with this one. It makes a wonderful centerpiece for a Frankenmuth Christmas corner. Will you build one house or a whole street?

You will need: A sturdy cardboard box, a craft knife for adults, cream and brown paint, a black marker, clear plastic for windows and a battery LED puck light.

How to make it: 1. An adult cuts the windows and door. 2. Paint the walls cream and the roof red. 3. Add brown beams and window frames. 4. Tape clear plastic behind the windows and place the LED light inside.

Antique Look Gold Ornaments From Thrifted Balls

Old plastic ornaments from the thrift store can look like treasured antiques with a little paint. Brush them in gold, then wipe on a little brown paint for an aged look. Pile them in a bowl or hang them on the tree. They look rich and old world without the price tag. This is one of the best money saving tricks for a Frankenmuth Christmas look. How many will you rescue?

You will need: Thrifted plastic ornaments, gold acrylic paint, brown acrylic paint, a soft cloth and brushes.

How to make it: 1. Wipe the ornaments clean. 2. Brush on gold paint and let dry. 3. Rub a little brown paint on with a cloth and wipe most of it off. 4. Let dry and hang.

Chalet Roof Tree Topper From Craft Sticks

Top your tree with a tiny Alpine chalet. Glue craft sticks into a small house shape with a pointed roof, paint it and add a star on top. Attach it to the tree with a cone of cardboard underneath. It is a cute and unusual topper that fits the Bavarian theme. For more cozy northern European ideas, our Scandinavian Christmas decor gallery is a great next stop. Will your chalet have a red roof or a snowy one?

You will need: Craft sticks, wood glue, paint, a small wooden star, a cardboard cone and floral wire.

How to make it: 1. Glue sticks into four walls and a pointed roof. 2. Paint the walls and roof. 3. Glue the star on top. 4. Attach the chalet to a cardboard cone and wire it to the treetop.