MICHIGAN, USA — As the weather gets colder and Christmas is fast approaching it's the perfect time to sit down and enjoy classics like The Polar Express or The Santa Clause trilogy. But did you know that these and many more have ties to our state of Michigan?
If you're looking for festive movies to help you get in the Christmas spirit while also appreciating all that Michigan has to offer, keep reading for 13 movies with ties to our "Water-Winter Wonderland" you can watch as you count down the days until Christmas!
1: The Polar Express (2004) | Pere Marquette
A movie about a young boy embarking on a Christmas Eve journey, The Polar Express largely takes place on a magical train heading to The North Pole.
While the train traverses mountains and forests foreign to Michigan, the train itself might appear familiar to some Michiganders. It was based on a real-life steam locomotive, the Pere Marquette 1225. The 1225 has been around since 1941 and was almost scrapped at one point. However, it was saved in the 1960's. If sitting in front of the screen isn't the experience you're looking for, you can still ride the 1225 from Owosso to Ashley to live out your own Polar Express experience.
2: The Christmas Bunny (2010) | Zeeland, Wyoming, Lowell and Alto
Another movie set on Christmas Eve, The Christmas Bunny is as warm and fuzzy as the name implies. A young girl living in foster care finds an injured rabbit on Christmas Eve. Looking out for the rabbit, she befriends a farm woman who vows to take care of the rabbit and help it recover.
The Christmas Bunny was filmed in various locations across West Michigan that you might recognize. Some of the locations included Zeeland, Wyoming, Lowell and Alto. On top of that, the film was directed by Grand Rapids native Tom Seidman.
3: A Dog for Christmas (2015) | Rockford
Sticking with animals, this movie is centered on something that makes the Christmas lists of many children—a dog. While young Kassandra wants a puppy, her mom and dad are not ready to take on that responsibility. Her last hope is that Santa might grant her Christmas wish.
This cute and silly movie was primarily filmed in Rockford as well as parts of Grand Rapids. It features one specific location many Rockford residents might know and love, the Corner Bar. Self-identified as the "Home of the Hot Dog Hall of Fame," the bar is known for its hot dog eating contest.
4: Miracle in Motor City (2021) | Detroit
Taking it to the other side of the state, Miracle in Motor City is set in Detroit. Amber takes charge of her church's Christmas pageant and promises a performance by a well-known musician, which she cannot keep. Her friends end up bringing in Amber's former flame to help try to deliver her promise.
Most of Miracle in Motor City was not filmed in Detroit and was actually filmed in Toronto. However, it still features shots of iconic Detroit venues such as the Fist Monument to Joe Louis, the Campus Martius ice skating rink and other exterior shots of various businesses in Detroit.
5: The Santa Clause I, II and III (1994, 2002, 2006) | Birmingham
The Santa Clause movies follow the story of a divorced dad, played by Tim Allen, who finds himself in a position where he has to take on the role of Santa Clause. The first movie focuses on him ending up there and then the trilogy goes on to showcase various happenings in his new life as the man in the red suit.
While the trilogy is set in Chicago, Tim Allen was born and raised in Birmingham, Michigan. He also attended both Central Michigan University and Western Michigan University before going on to be the Hollywood household name he is now.
6: Miracle on Christmas (2020) | Brighton
A more recent release, Miracle on Christmas is about a grieving woman, Mary, and her family during the holiday season. While Mary is questioning her faith, her family experiences a miracle after a stranger arrives.
The movie is filmed in its entirety just north of Ann Arbor in quaint and charming Livingston County during the winter season.
7: Christmas at the Holly Hotel (2022) | Holly
In Christmas at the Holly Hotel, New York City food critic Kathy travels home to Michigan to visit her parents for Christmas. During her visit, she makes a romantic connection with a local police officer, complicating her situation.
Filming for Christmas at the Holly Hotel took place in Holly, Michigan. The film also features the Historic Holly Hotel. While you can enjoy the beauty of the hotel in the movie, after the movie was filmed, the hotel sadly burned down. Reconstruction of the hotel began in December of 2022, but has hit some road blocks along the way.
8: Cupid's Christmas (2022) | Holly
Last year was a big one on the silver screen for Holly, Michigan. Also released in 2022 was Cupid's Christmas. In this film, Santa Claus searches for his lost reindeer, Cupid. At the same time, Katie Valentine and Luke Murphy are working towards saving the local train depot. Amid their efforts to both save the depot and help Santa Claus, a romance between the pair is reignited.
The inspiration for the plot came from the true story of the town rallying together to save the Holly Union Depot, Holly's historic train station.
9: Prancer (1989) | Three Oaks
Another tale of a reindeer, in Prancer, Jessica Riggs finds what she believes to be a member of Santa's sleigh team injured in the woods near her home. She secretly nurses the reindeer back to health as her father and community catch wind.
Prancer takes place in Three Oaks, a town in Berrien County. Shots were also filmed in cities in Indiana and Illinois. However, the film's ties to Three Oaks are strong as the director has visited to sign autographs and meet fans.
10: A Christmas Winter Song (2019) | Brighton
A Christmas movie for music lovers, A Christmas Winter Song follow Clio as she befriends Fred, a former jazz singer who is now homeless. The pair bond over their love of music, and as Clio processes the grief of recently losing her father, she helps Fred reunite with his daughter.
Filmed in picturesque Brighton, Michigan the film shows off plenty of beautiful scenery the area is known for. And if you keep an eye out for it during the film, you can even catch a glimpse of a Brighton parking sign.
11: Silver Bells (2013) | Manistee, Ludington and Grand Rapids
Silver Bells follows Bruce Dalt, a sports reporter with an ego. Focused on himself and his career, a mishap at his son's basketball game lands him serving community service. Serving his community service as a Salvation Army Bell Ringer while the video of the incident goes viral, Bruce faces the consequences of his actions.
Parts of Silver Bells were shot in Manistee, Ludington and Grand Rapids. The film featured residents from Manistee as extras, as well as a mention of Central Michigan University.
12: A Christmas Movie Christmas (2019) | Frankenmuth
In A Christmas Movie Christmas, two sisters wind up inside a Christmas movie. One, a huge fan of Christmas movies, and the other, more skeptical. The pair make wishes to Santa, landing them in s Christmas movie alternate universe. The movie follows the girls as they try to get back to reality.
The film is set in Frankenmuth, the home of Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, also affectionately known as "Christmas town." Frankenmuth is known for its Bavarian-style architecture and year-round Christmas spirit.
13: Small Town Santa (2013) | Rockford, Midland and Grand Rapids
In Small Town Santa, the Sheriff of a small town finds himself feeling a bit grinchy on Christmas Eve. However, that changes after he takes a home intruder into custody who claims to be Santa Claus. Santa and Lucy, a girl who recently moved to the small town, work together to try to lift the Sheriff's Christmas spirit.
Small Town Santa featured recognizable locations in Rockford, such as the Krause Memorial Library and the Courtland-Oakfield United Methodist Church. Santa's house in the film was shot in Midland, and other various scenes were shot in Grand Rapids.
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