Photos from Highland Township’s Tree Lighting and Kris Kringle Market

Images from Tree Lighting in Highland Township and Kris Kringle Market

(Crystal A. Proxmire, December 7, 2025)

Highland Township, MI – Chilly climate did not cease dozens of households from coming to the Downtown Highland Tree Lighting and Kris Kringle Market held on December 1st.

Outdoors, folks gathered round bonfires and loved scorching chocolate and free popcorn, plus horse-drawn carriage rides by Panda and Atticus of Blackstone Stables. And on the historic Highland Station Home, which began as a church in 1885, guests might store at a number of vendor tables, make crafts with kids, write letters to Santa and browse artwork created by members of the Huron Valley Arts Council.

Buddies of the Highland Township Library have been additionally in attendance, promoting bundles of books for all ages wrapped in lovely Christmas bows. “Proceeds fund packages for kids, teenagers and adults that the library wouldn’t usually have the assets for,” mentioned Treasurer Mark Labadie. Mark and his spouse Kari have been volunteering with the Library Buddies Group since 2021.

“The packages they placed on for the children are fairly spectacular,” he mentioned. “They’ve stuff for youths with particular wants, comedian con and dragon occasions for the kids. I’ve by no means skilled something with as a lot vitality as going to those occasions and seeing the younger folks enthusiastic about studying.”

Being a part of the Kris Kringle Market allowed the library to attach with households. The occasion additionally helped small companies attain new audiences.

Barb, who didn’t wish to share her final title, is the brand new proprietor of Odds and Ins and The Shed, which provides resale and consignment objects to Highland customers. The shops, positioned at 144 S. Milford Highway, are simply recognizable by the enormous postcard mural on the aspect of the constructing. Barb had objects positioned there for cargo earlier than diving in to take possession in March.

“While you store at consignment shops, every thing has a narrative and a historical past,” Barb mentioned. “And it is higher for the surroundings.” She added that resale buying offers folks the fun of discovering treasure. “We’ve got distinctive issues,” she mentioned. “A number of decor, distinctive objects, small furnishings.”

Her sales space on the Kris Kringle Market featured present concepts for the vacations, however the retailer has quite a lot of objects you may take pleasure in all 12 months spherical.

Artist Anita Lamour additionally provided distinctive treats on the Market. She is a member of the HVAC and introduced ceramics, collages and jewellery for the occasion.

“I have been in HVAC for 4 years and I find it irresistible,” Lamour mentioned. “I take pleasure in working with different artists. I like the constructing and the historic ambiance. And it is a nice alternative to promote my work.”

Lamour taught ceramics and elementary artwork in highschool earlier than retiring and making extra time for her personal work. “Artwork feeds your soul,” she mentioned. “Everybody might be an artist and share with different folks.”

Because the festive night progressed, folks went outdoors and gathered across the pavilion, which was full of main faculty kids who had been practising their carols for the grand efficiency. As mother and father watched and captured cellular phone movies, the kids serenaded the large star of the night: a cheerful man with a protracted white beard, carrying a pink go well with and cap, who arrived in a red-lit fireplace truck.

Santa chatted with the enthusiastic kids earlier than main the group in a countdown that noticed the lighting of not solely the Township’s large Christmas tree, but additionally a bunch of smaller bushes across the grounds. The bushes will stay lit all through the vacation, together with different selfie-worthy stations for guests to have a look at. A lightweight-strung walkway was a very standard spot, whereas particular person bushes embellished by native teams and companies additionally present quite a lot of festive ambiance.

The Tree Pageant continues till December, with on-line voting accessible to see which sponsored tree is the preferred. HVAC nonetheless has artwork on the market, and Downtown Highland companies welcome prospects to cease by and store native.

For extra details about Downtown Highland, together with occasions and enterprise data, go to https://www.highlanddda.com/

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