DECEMBER 2023

FAMILY TIME
Yuletide Good Times
BY VALENE AYAR
Michigan winters can be brutal.
Between the cold weather,
dark and early nights, and
ice storms, it can be easy to fall into a
seasonal depression and adopt a very
mundane routine. But just because it
can be that way does not mean it has
to be that way. There are so many avenues
to enjoy winter in Michigan with
your family, and you can finally have
answers to the dreaded question from
the kids who are home from school
this Christmas break when they ask,
“What are we doing today?”
Cadillac Lodge
First and foremost, I must mention
my absolute favorite. Located in the
heart of downtown Detroit and full of
fun activities and events for people of
all ages, you would be hard-pressed to
find a more comprehensive venue to
enjoy this holiday season than Cadillac
Lodge.
Best described as a “pop-up”
venue, the Lodge is encompassed inside
a large, heated tent with food,
drinks, and family-friendly interactive
activities that will help bring you
and your loved ones closer together.
At the Lodge, you can enjoy some festive
holiday drinks and a bowl of Detroit
style chili (among other delicious
menu items) next to a roaring fire; you
can even listen to live music if you’re
there on a Friday or Saturday night
from 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Or you can attend one of the free
craft workshops on Thursdays (4:00
p.m. - 7:00 p.m.) and Sundays (1:00
p.m. – 4:00 p.m.). There, you and your
family can make some holiday fun and
spend quality time together enjoying
activities you normally wouldn’t get
an opportunity to do.
Also plan to visit the Arctic Zone –
an iconic gingerbread house-inspired
concession stand right next to The
Rink at Campus Martius. Grab a bite
and go for a family skate! Not much
of a skater? No problem! There is also
Monroe Street Midway – across from
Campus Martius Park – where you can
slide down the Arctic Slide, enjoy their
Cadillac Lodge in downtown Detroit.
outdoor arcade, ride the winter bumper
cars, or play a round of Puck Putt.
Why not take in the new interactive art
there as well?
These are just a few of the many,
many ways to enjoy this beautiful and
interactive Detroit staple that will never
leave you wondering “What should
we do this winter break?”
Visit cadillaclodge.com for more
information.
Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo
Until very recently, I always thought of
the Detroit Zoo as being something to
enjoy in the summertime. Boy, was I
wrong! Their annual Wild Lights event
includes nearly 500 festive displays
with millions of beautiful LED lights.
The lighted sculptures feature a variety
of buildings, trees, flowers, and
even a walk-through light tunnel! It is
a beautiful experience for the whole
family and is the perfect way to take in
the Christmas season. Food and lights
and animals – oh, my!
Local Weekend Trip
A great way to create memories that
will last a lifetime is to enjoy activities
as a family. Why not take a drive
up to Boyne Mountain (or anywhere of
your choosing) and embrace the winter
season skiing and/or snowboarding?
Don’t know how? Learn together
as a family. This will create an even
richer bonding experience as you all
try something new together.
If you aren’t interested in such an
“active” an outdoor activity, you can
drive up to Frankenmuth – known far
and wide for its Christmas experience
– and enjoy everything the majestic little
German town has to offer. Your kids
can also enjoy an indoor water park at
the local inn. This was a personal favorite
for me, and a yearly tradition I
have always cherished!
Canterbury Village
Last, but certainly not least, is Canterbury
Village. I first visited this amazing
place last January for a Harry Potter
event and let me tell you – I fell headover-heels
in love with it! There are
events and activities there year-round
to satisfy kids (and adults) of all ages.
This December, here are just a few
of the activities and events taking place:
Shopopoly, Breakfast with Santa and
The Grinch, Grinch Weekends, Dinosaur
Wonderland, Wonderland Walkthrough,
Elf Weekend, and Cookie Crawl. You can
stop at any one of those words and be
happy. While you are down there, don’t
forget to take a family photo in front of
the majestic 45 Foot Dancing Tree! Better
yet, take some videos too with the kids
dancing with the tree!
Conclusion
I am constantly hearing people say
“there is nothing to do in Michigan!”
– especially in the wintertime. Quite
frankly, nothing can be further from
the truth. There is PLENTY to do here.
Unfortunately, though, most just are
not aware of all of the beautiful ways
to spend time with loved ones locally.
And the Christmas Season is the PER-
FECT time to create memories with the
family. When the kids grow up and
start their lives, you will wish you had
enjoyed more time together when they
were younger. Now is the best time to
make those memories! Merry Christmas
to all of our readers! Tell us some
of your favorite ways you like to celebrate
this season!
34 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2023