Experience the Joy of Baking During the Holidays!

One of my greatest childhood memories is from a woman I never met – Mrs. Duensing.  Days before Christmas, she would deliver a Marshall Field’s® coat box to my grandparent’s house which contained dozens of varieties of Christmas cookies.  The mysterious box was passed around the dining room table after dinner each night, while my aunts, uncles and cousins reached for the seasonal prizes.  I don’t recall if I had a favorite.  I remember someone holding the box so I could stare, overwhelmed by the selection and my Papa saying “which one, Jenny?  You should try this one!”  It left an impression – and to me – Mrs. Duensing is the mysterious cookie angel of Christmas past.

25 years later, I’m no Mrs. Duensing, but Holiday baking is a tradition that I happily carry on.  I do it to honor my Mom who gifted platters of cookies, plates of sticky buns, and warm loaves of bread to neighbors, family and friends.  I bake to honor my Gram, who had the patience of a saint and let me stand on the step-stool when I could barely see over the counter,to decorate sugar cookies. And I do it to honor my Gram and Papa who shared Mrs. Duensing with our family and baked countless Angel Food cakes, tins of Peppermint Stick Pudding and batches of divinity for us each Christmas.  Baking – especially during the holidays – is my way of honoring the past.

It was with these traditions in mind that a group of innkeepers got together to brainstorm, dream and plan the first West Michigan B&B Christmas Cookie Tour.  We wanted to honor the nearly lost art of baking from scratch, support small businesses and offer an opportunity to pause and truly enjoy the season.

You’re invited to join us for the inaugural event!  You’ll have a chance to see up to nine West Michigan B&B’s decked-out for the Holidays, sample or take home each innkeepers’ baked creations and do some Holiday shopping!  Most of the inns participating in the tour will include pop-up shops featuring products from area artisans and merchants.  Click here to learn more about the upcoming tour.

We Invite You to Our Ludington, Michigan Bed and Breakfast

Joining the West Michigan B&B Christmas Cookie Tour? Consider staying at our cozy bed and breakfast in Ludington, Michigan.  Centrally located along the avenue, we’re walking distance to other inns participating in the tour, plus many other shops, restaurants and miles of snow-covered trails! We have 5 rooms that offer a variety of amenities based on your needs, and also provide a full, hearty breakfast each morning.  Give us a call or reserve your room online and begin planning your Holiday getaway!