Merry Christmas from St Johns Michigan. This is a view of our main street downtown all decorated for Christmas.

This small town has so much to offer year round but it is especially beautiful this time of year.

The stores down town have a decorating contest. So many unique shops.

There is the Adorn Mint Gift Shop. You can find all kinds of stocking stuffers here like earrings, candles, and the one I love is an beautiful glass etched with the state of Michigan outline.

And if you love candles (who doesn’t this time of year), you have to shop at the Kymora Kandles Outlet. I love this beautiful gift box loaded with candles.

But there is more than just candles here. Beautiful purses along with dozens of other gifts.

The Mint Door Boutique has many one of a kind clothing and a nice line of shoes to choose from.

If all that shopping (and there are many more stores to choose from) makes you hungry, stop and grab a cupcake from Cupcakes and Kisses St Johns. All the delicious items in this bakery are made from scratch with real butter, sugar and eggs.

And for your chocolate lovers, you must make a stop at Oh Mi Organics. The store carries 180+ flavors and its chocolate is all gluten, dairy, peanut free. They even have vegan options. I can verify that their chocolate is beyond description. This is one store I always take my visitors to and buy them some chocolate.

One of my favorite places to stop and relax while shopping is the Global Coffee Shop. The shop has a map of the world. The owner encourages us to think about where our coffee comes from – what’s in a cup of coffee, how it got there, and why it tastes the way it does. She says “Here, everything about the coffee matters – from the people, the origin, the elevation of the farm, and the processing, all the way to the meticulous brew.” I love to sit in the corner of the shop and sip my coffee while watching the people walk by.

Another very special treasure in this small town is the Art and Soul Art Gallery. Sponsored by the Clinton County Arts, this store promotes, encourages and supports the artist in Clinton County, Michigan. While you would expect an art gallery to sell beautiful paintings, the art here includes much more than that. You can find pottery, jewelry, scarfs, quilts, books as well as many beautiful paintings. My own husband has some of his paintings there.

You can end your day by enjoying a good meal. There is Main Street Cafe, Domino’s Pizza, Main Street Pizza and our latest addition, St Johns Brewing Company.

We may be a small town, but there is no need to fight the large crowds at the malls or in the larger cities. Just visit my small town. You will love it!