Welcome to Beamer’s Holiday Beat, Bronner’s e-newsletter for everyone who shares my passion for Christmas. (There are only 114 days until Christmas!)

September is an ideal time to visit Bronner’s in Frankenmuth. The store is all aglow with new items, and it’s a great time for leisurely shopping.

Now is the time to start making your list and planning ahead for Christmas gift-giving. Bronner’s has an extensive selection of ornaments and trims that can be personalized for free. Check out our web site for all the possibilities or visit our store in Frankenmuth, Michigan. A great lineup of ornament and collectible artists will be visiting Bronner’s this fall. Please join us if you are going to be in the area. We’re especially pleased to be welcoming Jim Shore to Bronner’s on November 7.

I enjoy hearing from you so please take time to answer my survey question. Responses will appear in survey form in the next quarterly e-newsletter.

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!

Bronner’s Christmas Favorites Catalog is Complete

The new 2009/2010 Bronner’s Christmas Favorites catalog is now available. The 64-page catalog features over 700 items, including a large variety of ornaments, especially those that can be personalized. It will begin arriving in homes on September 9.

For those of you who are not on our catalog mailing list and wish to receive a paper catalog, you may request a catalog online or call 800-361-6736. Can't wait? All catalog items are also available on Bronner’s website and may be viewed in our online e-catalog.

Bi-annual Family Fun Photo Contest Winner Announced

Debbie Sumser of Oxford, Ohio, recently won Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland’s® Family Fun Photo Contest. Sumser received a $100 Bronner’s gift certificate for the winning photo of her granddaughter Enya getting acquainted with a gnome at Bronner’s.

The bi-annual photo contest runs January through June and July through December. Rules and an entry form are available at www.bronners.com. Three finalists are selected by the Bronner staff and posted at www.bronners.com where guests to the site vote to select the winner. Enter Bronner’s Family Fun Photo Contest.

Entries will be accepted through December 31, 2009, for our next photo contest. View Bronner’s Family Fun Photo Contest rules and entry form.

CHRISTmas Wonderland Hosted Race Car on August 14

NASCAR’s FedEx Express #11 was on display in Bronner’s west parking lot from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, August 14. Two representatives from the Joe Gibbs Racing Team were on hand to chat with guests and answer questions.

The Camry, driven by Denny Hamlin, made a few appearances in Michigan between races. Hamlin and the Joe Gibbs Racing Team had just won the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway on August 3.

Guests were invited to bring their cameras and have their photo taken standing next to the car.

Time to Pick from Bronner’s Harvest of New Ornaments

It’s harvest time at Bronner’s! We’re reaping the rewards of our ornament design team’s labors as our new ornaments for Christmas 2009 arrive and we can share them with you.

Play ball! Bronner’s baseball cap glass form ornament is available in pink (#1138676), green (#1138675), red (#1138677) and blue (#1138678). The ornament is 3½ inches long and 1½ inches tall, and retails for $8.99. Can be personalized.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus are sneaking a kiss under the mistletoe on Bronner’s 3-inch round, white pearl glass ornament featuring a full-color print. (#1142593). It retails for $8.99 and is made in Hungary.

Bronner’s annual form glass ornament, produced in Poland, features a gift-filled sleigh with glitter accents for 2009. The glass ornament (#1142471) measures 5 inches in length and retails for $23.99.

Celebrate Christmas Eve, the “Night of Everlasting Love” (NOEL), with Bronner’s 3¾-inch, porcelain-finish glass disc ornament (#1143911). It retails for $8.99 and is made in the USA.

The galaxy is yours with Bronner’s star-swirled, 3-inch, glass round ornament, available in eight colors: red (#1143560), purple (#1143563), dark green (#1143565), baby blue (#1143562), dark blue (#1143561), pink (#1143564), light gold (#1143566) and white (#1143567). It can be personalized and retails for $9.99, and is made in Hungary.

Oh Recipe, Oh Recipe …

Bronner’s Flavorful Favorites
We thought you might like to try one of the recipes from Bronner’s second staff cookbook, “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.

Bacon Cheddar Jalapeño Poppers
6 jalapeño peppers
16 oz. cheddar or cheese of your choice such as pepper jack, etc.
12 slices bacon

Preheat the broiler. Wearing rubber gloves, cut the jalapeños in half and remove the seeds. Cut the cheddar cheese into 12 slices long enough to fit into the halves. Wrap the jalapeño halves with the bacon slices, securing with a toothpick, if necessary. Place on a medium baking sheet. Broil 5 to 10 minutes or until the bacon is evenly brown.

Submitted by Christopher Sutorik

Black Cat Face Glass Ornament
1141252- $8.99

Pumpkin Face Glass Ornament
1143892 - $8.99

Ghost Face Glass Ornament
1143569 - $8.99

For even more fun, make these lollipop ghosts with the kids or grandkids:
Great fun to give to trick-or-treaters or as school treats too!

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

A total of 301 responses were received from our March e-newsletter’s question of the quarter. The question and a summary of the responses are listed below.

In what online social media do you participate?

29.5% (89) answered "Facebook"
3.9% (12) answered "MySpace"
1.3% (4) answered "Twitter"
1.6% (5) answered "Blogs"
2.3% (7) answered "LinkedIn"
5.9% (18) answered "Other"
45.1% (136) answered "None"
9.9% (30) answered "None, but I am thinking about it"

Click here to answer this
quarter’s poll question:

How often do you use online social media?

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

Byer’s Choice Event
Saturday, October 10 1-3 pm
Beth Baker, Byer's Choice representative, will be available to answer all your questions about Byer's Choice carolers.

Department 56 Open House Event with Artist Barbara Lund
Saturday, October 17
10 am to noon & 1-4 pm
Village artist Barbara Lund will greet guests, pose for photos, and sign Department 56 pieces purchased at Bronner’s during the event. Celebrate Department 56 with Barbara Lund.

Precious Moments
Heroes of Hope Event
Saturday, October 17
10 am to 4 pm
The Precious Moments figurine, "Heroes of Hope," will be available. Ten percent of the purchase price of this figurine will go to St. Jude's Research Hospital.

Jim Shore Signing Event
Saturday, November 7
11:30 am to 4 pm
Jim Shore, creator of the popular Heartwood Creek line of collectibles, will greet guests and sign his pieces purchased at Bronner’s

Pam Chatley Ornament
Artist Signing
Saturday & Sunday, November 7 & 8
Nov.7: 10 am-Noon and 1-5 pm; Nov. 8: Noon-5 pm
Meet Michigan artist Pam Chatley. Pam will gladly sign any of her whimsical, creative ornaments purchased at Bronner’s on November 7 or 8.

Connie Larsen Ornament
Artist Signing
Thursday & Friday, Nov. 12 & 13, 19 & 20, and Dec. 3 & 4
10:30 am-Noon and 1-2:30 pm
Enjoy a unique opportunity to meet Bronner’s ornament artist Connie Larsen. She will sign or personalize any of her ornaments purchased during her appearances.

Precious Moments Doll Event
Saturday & Sunday, November 14 & 15
Nov. 14: 10 am to Noon and 1-5 pm; Nov. 15: 12:30-5 pm
Linda Rick, Precious Moments Company’s nationally renowned doll designer, will be greeting guests and signing Precious Moments doll purchases.

St. Nicholas: from Saint to Santa
Saturday & Sunday, November 14 & 15
2 & 3 pm
Join us as St. Nicholas tells the story of how he became Santa Claus. This half-hour performance, a tradition here at Bronner’s, involves audience participation. Don’t miss out on this memorable experience for children of all ages.

Fontanini Signing with
Emanuele Fontanini
Saturday & Sunday, November 21 & 22
Noon to 4 pm
Emanuele Fontanini, fourth-generation member of the House of Fontanini, will be happy to sign any Fontanini Nativity purchases made during the event as well as two Fontanini pieces from your personal collection.

Hope Glass Works
Saturday & Sunday, November 21 & 22
Nov. 21: 10 am to Noon & 1-5 pm; Nov. 22: 1-5 pm
Glassblowers Kim and Dave Maul will be greeting guests and signing Hope Glass Works ornaments purchased during the event. The Maul’s hand-crafted, mouth-blown glass ornaments are created using a lamp-working technique.

Egyptian Museum Glass
Artisan Signing
Saturday & Sunday, November 21 & 22
Nov. 21: 10 am-Noon and 1-5 pm; Nov. 22: 1-5 pm
Mohamed and Linda, owners of Egyptian Museum Glass, will be signing purchases of Egyptian glass ornaments, perfume bottles and other decorative pieces.

Hummel Signing with
Ulrich Tendera
Friday-Sunday, November 27-29
Nov. 27: 3:30-5 pm & 7-8 pm; Nov. 28: 9:30-11:30 am, 12:30-2 pm, 3:30-5 pm & 7-8 pm; Nov. 29: 12:30-6 pm
Master painter Ulrich Tendera will demonstrate the art of figurine painting and sign Hummel figurines purchased at Bronner’s during the event.

Santa Visits Daily
November 27-December 24
Monday-Saturday: 10-11:30 a.m., 1-4 p.m., and 5:30-7 p.m.; Sunday: Noon-5:30 p.m.
You want to see Santa? Bring your camera and your wish list to Bronner’s. Because Santa is so busy on Christmas Eve, his visiting hours will end at 3 p.m. Bronner’s closes at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve. For groups of 25 or more, please phone (989) 652-9935, ext. 556. (Please note that many children visit Santa on Saturdays & Sundays so you may wish to plan otherwise or expect a wait on the weekends)

Margaret Cobane Ornament
Artist Signing
Saturday & Sunday, November 28 & 29
Nov. 28: 10 am to Noon & 1-5 pm;
Nov. 29: 12:30-5 pm
Welcome ornament artist Margaret Cobane, who will sign any of her ornaments purchased at Bronner’s during the event.

Jacki Edwards Ornament
Artist Signing
Saturday & Sunday, December 5 & 6
Dec. 5: 10 am to Noon & 1-5 pm;
Dec. 6: Noon to 5 pm
Ornament artist Jacki Edwards will sign her delightful clay dough ornaments purchased at Bronner’s during the event.

Teresa Thibault Ornament
Artist Signing
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 11-13
Dec. 11 & 12: 10 am-Noon and 1-5 pm; Dec. 13: Noon-5 pm
Meet Teresa Thibault, the artist behind the popular Heart Gifts line of ornaments. From inspirational to whimsical, Teresa’s ornaments make perfect gifts for everyone on your list … including yourself.

Bronner Family Sing-along
Tuesday & Wednesday, December 22 & 23
1:30-2 pm
Join members of the Bronner family in singing a variety of favorite Christmas carols. Music is piped throughout the store. This is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.

Silent Night Sing-along
Thursday, December 24
3-3:15 pm
Join a member of the Bronner family and guest guitarist in the Silent Night Memorial Chapel as they lead everyone in singing “Silent Night.” This peaceful assembly is the perfect way to remember why we celebrate the Christmas season.