A Day Away: Tannenbaum Forest anchors Old World Christmas in the Amana Colonies

“O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, how lovely are thy branches.” Especially when decorated in holiday style to create an indoor forest at the century-old Festhalle Barn, 4707 220th Trail, Amana.

You’ll easily be able to spend a day away there, and may need to go back several times to see all that the Amanas have to offer during holidays.

It’s been a record-breaking season for festivals in the historic Colonies steeped in German traditions, and the Tannenbaum Forest has broken another record before the doors even open to the public at 11 a.m. Friday.

As of Nov. 17, 67 trees had been snapped up by local businesses, organizations, groups and families ready to festoon the live branches top to bottom, and lead elf Dana Jensen expects to reach the cap of 70 live trees. They will be on display Friday to Sunday, this week through Dec. 19. That’s nearly double the 40-plus trees decorated for the third Tannenbaum Forest in 2002.

The trees are supplied through the Amana Forestry Department, and after the festival, they will be undecked and returned to the department for disposal, where some of the wood may stoke the firefighters’ open fire chili events, Jensen said.

“And I get to pick up pine needles for the next six months,” she added with a laugh just shy of a ho-ho-ho.

As event manager for Amana Colonies Festivals Inc., Jensen, 31, of Marengo, is in charge of the holiday happening. She came on board in June, so she missed organizing Maifest, but noted it started a chain of record-breaking festivals as people started venturing forth from the pandemic.

“We’ve had our biggest Maifest, our biggest Wurstfest and our biggest Oktoberfest ever,” she said, “so we’re coming off the back of three back-to-back record-breaking festivals.”

Tannenbaum Forest typically draws upward of 15,000 visitors, and in an effort to keep them safe, masks will be required for everyone indoors. Like last year, entry will be staggered to limit the number of people in the historic barn at any given moment.

“Tannenbaum was the only one of our major events last year that we were able to pull off,” Jensen said. And the COVID-safety protocols they put in place will carry forward.

“There will be more people allowed this year than last year,” she said of the staggered entry policy. “That way, everyone can enjoy the forest and have room to spread out and take their time looking at it, and not feel rushed by crowds.”

Like last year, one person visitors won’t see is Santa.

“He’s too busy at the North Pole making sure everyone gets toys,” Jensen said, “but he is going to send a reindeer down, and one of his elves will be in the forest some of the days. He did get a little bit of time off to visit the Hotel Millwright.”

If the weather cooperates, one of Santa’s reindeer will be at the forest from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 11. And believers can write their wish lists on preprinted stationery at the Amana Visitors Center near the Festhalle Barn, then drop them in the direct-to-Santa mailbox inside the Forest.

A short hop over the rooftops, Santa will be at the Hotel Millwright from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 4 and 18. He will tell the timeless tale of “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” pose for photos and share sugar cookies with his visitors.

Jensen expects the jolly old elf to return to Tannenbaum Forest next year.

In the meantime, other main attractions from Christmases Past at the forest will be back in all their glory, including the 17-foot German Christmas pyramid that debuted in 2002, handcrafted by Amana artisans; gingerbread houses handcrafted by students at Mary Welsh Elementary School in Williamsburg; the Children’s Corner; St. Nick’s Cafe; and the Nativity scene.

Forest admission is free, but donations will be accepted for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City. Attendees also are invited to pick up a DIY ornament kit at the Visitors Center, create an ornament, and hang it on the Iowa Children’s Hospital Tree inside the Tannenbaum Forest.

Everyone benefits from the monthlong festivities — the Colonies, their shops and the visitors, Jensen said.

“We do get tons of people who come to town to do their Christmas shopping. They get to come and experience Amana, learn a little bit about our history and how we’re unique,” she said. “They get to see some traditional German Christmas things — we do have several pyramids and things like that.

“But mostly, it’s a time for us to give back. The forest itself benefits the University of Iowa’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital. We also have the St. Nick’s Cafe, where we have some of our other nonprofits more local to the area, such as Safe Haven and the Amana elementary school PTO, come in and do a bake sale as a little fundraiser for themselves.

“It’s really just a time for us to give back to the community. I plan festivals all year long, and this is the chance I get to take everything that we’ve done so far and give it back.”

For visitors, “I hope it puts them in the Christmas spirit, and brings a smile to their face,” she said. “It’s always a beautiful sight to see. ... We just hope that at the end of the day, they come to Amana and they go home with good memories that they want to share, and come back the next year.”

Other highlights

Weekend themes: Holiday Fun & Games Weekend, Nov. 26 to 28; Prelude Weekend, Dec. 3 to 5; Children’s Weekend, Dec. 10 to 12; Holiday Traditions Weekend, Dec. 17 to 19.

German Christmas Pickle Hunt: Find a German pickle ornament in 10 of the participating shops to enter a weekly drawing for a $100 Amana Colonies gift certificate; forms at the Visitors Center and participating shops throughout the colonies. Based on the old German Christmas custom of hanging a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree late on Dec. 24, and the first child to find the pickle on Christmas morning would receive an extra gift.

Generations of Amana Art: Exhibition at the Amana Heritage Museum, 705 44th Ave., Amana. Showcasing paintings by local artists; free admission Dec. 3 to 5, regular admission other days, $8 ages 18 and up, $4 ages 5 to 17, free under age 5; amanaheritage.org

Speed-wrapping contest: 3 p.m. Saturdays, Tannenbaum Forest.

Ugly Sweater Fashion Show: 1 p.m. Dec. 18, Tannenbaum Forest; anyone wearing an ugly Christmas sweater can enter; prizes for all participants.

Candlelit streets: Lighted luminarias will cast a warm glow outside businesses and some residences.

Amana Church Holiday Bazaar: noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 3 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 4, Amana Church, 622 45th Ave., Amana. Featuring yeast breads, jams, jellies, salsas, handmade craft items, woodworking, needlework, Christmas decor, ornaments and more. Use the west door of the church; masks required. Shop online for home delivery at amanachurch.com/amana-church-societys-online-christmas-bazaar/

Amana Church Cookie Walk: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 4; register for an entry time at 9 a.m. outside the west entrance to the Amana Church, 622 45th Ave. Cost is $30 for a box that will hold four to five dozen cookies; masks required. To order a box of prepackaged cookies, go to amanachurch.com/ or call (319) 622-6155; pick up these boxes beginning at 11 a.m.

Also: Holiday and kids’ activities and specials at various shops, businesses and restaurants throughout the colonies; food and drink tastings; music and live entertainment.

Brochure: Click on the link at amanacolonies.com/things-to-do/festivals/tannenbaum-forest/

Comments: (319) 368-8508; diana.nollen@thegazette.com