By The Christmas Tree Walk
We are celebrating our 20th Anniversary this year, and we now have over 300 trees and around 130,000 ornaments and display items to view all inside our custom-built 9,500 sq. ft. Log Home. The tradition of The History of the Christmas Tree Walk is being carried on by Brett Kodet in memory of his father, mother, and older brother: Allen, Diane, and Keith Kodet. Allen passed away in September of 2019, and Diane and their oldest son, Keith, followed in January of 2022.
The Walk began in 2004, with Allen and Diane using their love of all things Christmas and 40 years’ worth of collecting to put up over 30 trees decorated with a different theme or from a different period in history. The ornaments, decorations, and other holiday displays offered visitors to the home an insight into Christmas history from the 1850s until the present. Many displays have been added over the years, but none quite as important as one we’ve added for this year’s Walk. Upon entering the Log Home, via the pool room, visitors will see The Kodet Memorial Trees that have been set up and decorated in honor of the deceased family members.
This year’s Walk begins December 1st and runs every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (except for holiday days) totaling 16 dates this December. We are a little less than a month away from opening and our ticket sales are up from last year with 15-30 orders coming in daily, as well as having one tour time already sold out! Discounted tickets are available online only at www.thechristmaswalk.com until the end of November. Tickets will be available for purchase in December upon availability but must be purchased at least 48 hours in advance of the preferred tour date and time. On our website you can find even more information about this year’s Walk, as well as a full FAQ section that breaks down all the different aspects of parking and check-in, pricing, child ticket age, group tickets, how to order tickets, additional items for sale, and our refund/transfer policy.
We’ve decided to continue with the process of online-only ticket ordering, specific tour times, and limited ticket quantities this year, as well as having all visitors (with their pre-purchased tickets!) drive themselves to the Log Home, located in Algonac, MI.
Similar to last year, there are two tour times on each of the 16 dates this year, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm and 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm, with only 100 tickets sold per time. It is a self-guided tour through all three levels of the custom Log Home. Staff will be stationed throughout the Home to answer questions and offer assistance. We have found that most guests spend about an hour touring the home but we offer a two-hour window so no one feels rushed and to allow for inclement weather. If they arrive before their tour time, we ask that they wait in their vehicle until the door attendant indicates it is okay to come in.
We’ve found that this system of limiting tickets per tour time, as well as guests driving themselves, has helped with staffing ahead of time since we know how many people will be coming. It also allows the guests a little more elbow room! We request that groups carpool if they can! Parking got a little tight last year when we had multiple groups of six or more come in five different vehicles. We also would like to note that while we welcome groups, we do not allow private or public buses at the Log Home. The driveway does not have space that would allow a bus to turn around and is curved in a way that does not allow for backing out. Dropping off at the road and walking to the Home is also not allowed as the driveway is long and curved making it unsafe for guests to walk on it in the winter.
Everyone who visits the Christmas Tree Walk is awed and amazed, not only by all the gorgeous decorations, the immense size and beauty of the Log Home but also by the love, time, and commitment put in by Al and Diane over their decades of collecting and displaying the Christmas décor. We are excited that Brett Kodet, with his family, is carrying on the tradition in memory of his parents and their love for everything Christmas!
Many families have made visiting the Christmas Tree Walk a yearly tradition and we hope to see them return as well as many new faces this year for our 20th Anniversary!
