Welcome to Beamer’s Holiday Beat, Bronner’s enewsletter for everyone who shares my passion for Christmas. (Did you know there are only 298 days until Christmas!)

Bronner’s buyers have returned from the winter trade shows and are busy placing orders for beautiful new products to fill your decorating and gift-giving needs. Work on Bronner’s exclusive 2010 Bethlehem-scene form ornament continues, and the final sample, under production in Poland, is nearly complete. View the round annual ornament, already available.

Bronner’s 2010/2011 catalog, Bronner’s Christmas Favorites, is under construction. In addition to finalizing orders for all items that will appear in the new publication, the catalog team is also designing striking new covers.

Daylight-savings time begins on Sunday, March 14, and the spring equinox arrives on Saturday, March 20. It is said that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. We look forward to warm spring breezes and the joyous celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on April 4. Blessed Easter and Happy Spring to you all!

Thank you for inviting me into your home. You’re welcome at my home, www.bronners.com or 25 Christmas Lane in Frankenmuth, all year long!

Luck ‘O the Irish Sale at Bronner’s

Make a purchase from Bronner’s now through
March 17 and receive 17% OFF your purchase
of $17 or more.*

Simply enter COUPON CODE 635 at checkout or mention the offer when you call 800-361-6736 to order or when you shop Bronner’s in person. Offer expires 3/17/10.

Plan ahead for your spring decorating needs and special gifting opportunities, including Easter, bridal showers, weddings and graduations. You can even get your Christmas 2010 shopping done early with these great savings that also apply to Bronner’s sales items!

*Must reference coupon at time of online, in-store or phone purchase. Commercial displays, special orders, club kits/pieces, gift cards, snack area and shipping excluded. Discount applicable on purchases of in-stock merchandise. Not valid with any other offer or on previous purchases. Custom ornament and wholesale departments excluded.

Burke Targets Prize Money for Johnny Burke Children’s Foundation

Local media celebrities were aiming at $1,014 in prize money for their favorite charities on February 2 at Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland’s 3rd Annual Hot Shot Local Media Celebrity Archery Contest.

Four broadcast celebrities and one special guest competed in the archery shoot:

- Larry Elliott with WJRT TV12 (Flint) for the Frankenmuth International Aid Foundation,
- Peter Brooks with 997 Family Life Radio (Midland) for Youth Haven Ranch,
- Mandi Martin with WIOG (Saginaw) for the Children’s Miracle Network,
- Johnny Burke from WHNN’s Johnny Burke and the Morning Crew (Saginaw) for the Johnny Burke Children’s Foundation and
- Mary Anne Ackerman, special guest and Frankenmuth School District superintendent (Frankenmuth), for the high school’s Hearts for Haiti program.

Peter Brooks, Larry Elliott and Johnny Burke advanced to the final round where Elliott and Burke tied, taking the contest to a shoot-off. Burke finished in the top spot, winning a check from Bronner’s for $1,014 for the Johnny Burke Children’s Foundation. In recognition of Elliott’s outstanding advance to the shoot-off, the Bronner family awarded the Frankenmuth International Aid Foundation a check for $507. Elliott and the FIAF graciously asked that $200 of their award be forwarded to Youth Haven Ranch in recognition of Peter Brooks’ advance to the final round.

The Hot Shot Local Media Celebrity Archery Contest kicked off Bronner’s Be My Valentine Sale. Guests received 14 percent off most online, phone and in-store purchases $14 and over throughout the month of February.

Four broadcast celebrities and a special guest competed for their favorite charities in Bronner’s 3rd Annual Hot Shot Local Media Celebrity Archery Contest.

(l to r) Mandi Martin, Johnny Burke, Mary Anne Ackerman, Peter Brooks and Larry Elliott

Johnny Burke (l) edged out Larry Elliott (r) for a first-place finish in Bronner’s media celebrity archery contest to benefit charity.

Ornament Production Process

This short video brings to life the ornament production process as a Bronner art design is printed onto an ornament through a four-color (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) print process. President and CEO Wayne Bronner filmed the video at the factory in Europe where many ornaments are produced exclusively for Bronner’s. Click here to see this video on facebook.

Businesses “Scramble” to Decorate for
“Egg-cellent” Event

The German tradition of decorating with eggs for Easter will come to Frankenmuth beginning Friday, March 19, through Sunday, April 18. Frankenmuth’s 3rd Annual Easter Celebration will showcase brightly colored eggs and egg garland displays throughout town. Bronner’s, who has practiced this decorating tradition for several years, will be joined by dozens of Frankenmuth businesses in 2010. You’re invited to visit and enjoy these “egg-ceptional” displays.

Annual Bronner’s Shoppers Travel the World Photo Contest Winner Announced

Kim Rademacher of Morrisville, North Carolina, is the winner of Bronner’s Shoppers Travel the World 2009 Photo Contest. The winning photo features Kim holding a Bronner’s bag in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City in Rome, Italy. She received a $100 Bronner’s gift certificate for her winning entry. Entries must capture a person enjoying a visit to a famous landmark while holding a Bronner’s bag or brochure. One annual winner is randomly drawn from all entries. Enter Bronner’s Shoppers Travel the World Photo Contest.

Have you seen the first robin of spring? Think of this story
when you do:

The night that Christ was born a little brown bird shared the stable with the Holy Family. During the night, Joseph built a fire to keep the family warm, but as they slept, the fire burned out. From its nest, the bird flew down and fanned the embers with its wings. The bird was very close to the fire and the heat turned the bird’s feathers red. The breast of the robin has been red ever since to remind us of its love and compassion for the baby Jesus.

Lily Wall Cross
1145400 - $20

Watch this space every month for the results of our previous Question of the Quarter.

A total of 299 responses were received from our September e-newsletter’s question of the quarter. The question and a summary of the responses are listed below.

What is your favorite color/color combination for Christmas decorating?

Click here to answer this
quarter’s poll question:

How do you use Christmas light strings throughout the year?

Have an idea for a possible future
Question of the Quarter? Please email us at holidaybeat@bronner.com

Egg-stra, Egg-stra … Read All About It
Visit the Easter Bunny at Bronner’s March 19 through April 3. Bunny’s hours will be Monday through Saturday from 10-10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-1:30 p.m., 2:30-3 p.m. and 4-4:30 p.m. On Friday evenings, the bunny will make additional appearances from 6-6:30 p.m. and 7:30 – 8 p.m. Sunday afternoon hours for the Easter Bunny will be 12-12:30 p.m., 1-1:30 p.m., 2:30-3 p.m. and 4-4:30 p.m. Bronner’s is closed 12-3 p.m. on Good Friday. The Easter Bunny will make a special appearance on Good Friday from 3-3:30 p.m. Bronner’s is closed all day on Easter Sunday.

Pam Chatley Ornament Artist Signing
November 6 & 7
Ornament artist Pam Chatley will sign her ornaments purchsed at Bronner’s on Saturday and Sunday, November 6 and 7, 2010. Watch for more information in the September edition of Beamer’s Holiday Beat. View a sample of Ms. Chatley’s work.

Jacki Edwards to Sign Ornament Creations
December 4 & 5
Jacki Edwards will sign her delightful clay dough ornaments purchased at Bronner’s on Saturday and Sunday, December 4 and 5. Look for more information in the September edition of Beamer’s Holiday Beat. View a sample of Ms. Edwards work.

Teresa Thibault Returns
December 10-12
Another ornament artist favorite, Teresa Thibault, will sign her Heart Gifts ornaments purchased at Bronner’s on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 10, 11 and 12, 2010. More information will be available in the the September 2010 edition of Beamer’s Holiday Beat. View a sample of Ms. Thibault’s work.

Bronner’s Flavorful Favorites*
We thought you might like to try one of the recipes from “Bronner’s Flavorful Favorites, Book 2.” The cookbook features over 400 recipes submitted by Bronner’s staff and is available online or in-store for $14.99.

Spinach-Cheese Pie
(quiche-like pie with no crust)
1 T. vegetable oil
1 c. onion, peeled and chopped
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed thoroughly dry
¾ lb. Muenster cheese, grated (about 3 cups)
¼ to ½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
5 lg. eggs, beaten

Heat oven to 325°. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with Pam. Heat oil in 10” to 12” skillet over moderately high heat. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft. Add spinach and cook a few minutes until any moisture has evaporated. Remove from heat. Mix cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg with eggs. Mix egg mixture with spinach mixture. Spread in prepared pie plate. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Submitted by Karen Hoffman

*Bronner’s first staff cookbook, “Bronner’s Flavorful Favorites,” is also available online or in-store for $14.99.