Milaeger’s in Racine: Sneak peek at big customer appreciation event

Holiday shopping is getting an early start at Milliger's with a day full of deals and special surprises. Bryan Krampus and Racine with a sneak peek at their big customer appreciation event. My man, probably a lot to offer. So many good folks out there. Yeah, without a doubt, too. I mean, there's some great items, obviously, too. And this is actually the best time to shop when it comes to some of the holiday gifts that you might be giving this year. We are so ready, yes. I mean, this is our big customer appreciation day. And you get 20% off of just about everything in the store. And everyone's in such a good mood, all festive. We're all decked out. We got all of our themes set up. I will say that you guys are decked out. I mean, Natalie, are you decked out? Let's get into First Frost, though. I know. Some areas we haven't even felt that yet, but you here at Miller Grace have displayed it wonderfully. Yeah, this is a relatively new look for us. It's called First Frost, and people really like it because it has this calming vibe to it. And it's something that you can have pretty much all winter, right? Because I always hate to take down all the Christmas decorations right after Christmas because we really have nothing to look at until March. So having something like this, lighting, calming, the eucalyptus is so beautiful. All the different ornaments, it's just beautiful. And I like that it's subtle, too. You know, it doesn't have all the pops of color. Right. But then again, too, the pops of color do come during the holidays. And people theme out like different rooms and things like that. Right. So you could totally, you don't have, your whole house doesn't have to be this way. Yeah. But you know, do different vibes in different areas. I love that. Now you guys have this huge party that's kicking off. You've got some special guests as well, as well as a giveaway, too. Yes, yes. So we have this ornament. So with any $50 purchase, we have this beautiful cardinal ornament that you'll get up at the We have refreshments from 3 to 7 at both stores, and then Karen Didion, she's celebrating her 30th anniversary, and she's going to be here signing Santas, which is a really big deal at both stores. Do you know the phrase for the cardinal? I don't know. An angel is near. When a cardinal appears, an angel's near. I think Nicola probably has that down. If we could turn around a little bit, I want you to see how beautiful this store is displayed as always. My gosh, when you walk into the Racine location here, you guys have it decked out. I know how much time that your family puts into making it perfect for your guests, but you guys really do have a wonderful space here. And it's hard to believe that it's been 66 years for Milliger's. 66 years, yes. Right. And the story of Milliger's is so interesting, too, because it is family. And we started in the backyard with You started with your grandparents? Is that correct? Yes. So my grandparents started with just one small greenhouse. It was a used greenhouse that arrived, and it was all in pieces. It was a glass greenhouse. It had a bunch of junk, a bunch of paint on it, and my mom remembers having to spend her whole summer scraping all that paint off of those panes and helping them put it together. So you can never complain about the work that you're doing when mom is near. Yeah, it's a family affair, for sure. Yeah, the Customer Appreciation Day kicks off today, 9 o'clock, at both locations as well. We're going to be seeing her later on today. But yeah, first frost might not have hit for your area, but is definitely here at Milliger's in Racine. Thanks, Kara. I'm getting ideas just by seeing the decor. Exactly. Ready to see the weather deck be redecorated. Oh, yes. Soon, yeah. Well, these holiday lights are getting brighter, smarter, and more creative this season. Brian Cramp is at Milliger's in Racine checking out the latest ways that you can light up your holidays. My goodness, do they have a big selection there, Cramp. I know that you went to the Christmas Fantasy House earlier this week, and this is like being at one of those houses because it's all lit up. And Dan, as we stand around these Christmas trees, I mean, it's kind of impossible not to be in the spirit, right? I know. Yeah, right. It's contagious. Love the hat, by the way. Great seeing you as always. You know, when we're surrounded by trees and we see all the lights, first thing I'm thinking is, are the lights going to be glowing this year on my tree? So I might need a new strand, if you will. You can get a new strand or you can add add lights to it yeah so we have the galaxy light which is a new fabulous one that we're it's just it's not a straight line set it has all smaller lights on there see the fine wire it's fine that you can it's real easy to do but it's not delicate by any means no no no no I want to see this yeah Oh my gosh. Here they are. You know how many times that happens with other lights and you just ruin the entire strand. So that's actually very durable too. Yeah, yeah. You can kind of probe it and wrap it around the branches if you want. You can use them inside or out. If you're decorating a tree with these, this has a cap on it right now because you can do three of these in a row. Oh, perfect. So you just unscrew this and you can screw another set into it. But you start at the top of the tree. And I'm going to just decorate the front because this tree, if it goes in a corner or something like that, you don't need to put them on the back. But you're also somebody that knows how to decorate a tree. Oh, sure. You've been doing it for some time. But also, you want to reveal how many trees you currently have? At my house? Yeah, yeah. Well, I only have 10 up so far. Sorry. When you said only, I was expecting one, not ten. So you only have ten trees up. You guys love Christmas around here at Miller Chris. And I know that the big customer appreciation day is happening today. That's got to mean the world to you as well. You know, you and your wife have been in the business longer than your kids, but also the family. Oh, yeah. I mean, this is something that you guys just, you know, every Christmas we lean into. Right, yeah, we just, we love Christmas, so if it were Christmas all year long, that'd be fine with us. Yeah, no, I agree with that, too. There we go, look at that, I got it all decorated. That was pretty quick, that was like 30 seconds standing, you just put that together. Now, obviously they're durable, we saw that, they light up, and the lights that you have exclusively here, they stand the test of time, too. That's the thing that I like. Wow, the galaxy light is nice because it comes in the clear, which I just used. But we also have it in the multi, too, and it has a real, if you can see in this, it has little twinkle ones in there, too, that are real soft twinkle, you know, it's not an obnoxious twinkle, you know, so, but it's just enough to give it a little life and make it more interesting, so. I love it. And I also love the trees, too. We're going to chat with your wife later on in the 8 o'clock hour. But as you can see, look at the trees. And they also already have deals on the trees, guys. So not only is it 20% off of all regular trees. Priced items, but the trees are knocked down. Some of them already hundreds of dollars. Fox Local for more information. Dan, we've got to toss it back to the desk here, but get working on that 11th tree in your house, will you? Oh, yeah. You're slacking. I know I've got a few more to go. I don't run. Ten trees he has up, guys, already. It makes you realize how many different kinds of trees there are. These are outdoor, too, so I have these on some of the outdoor trees, so they can use them indoor, outdoor. I mean, they're so flexible. They have their own, like, identity. You can actually call them party lights because you can use them. One for every room of the house. All over. You can leave them. And I have some that I leave up here around because they're just add a little life to my mantelpiece or a bouquet. They look great. We appreciate that. Thanks, Dan. Oh, I love the blue with the sparkle and the silver. A little flock. I like that as a little extra character. Three years, artist Karen Didion has been bringing holiday magic to life with her one-of-a-kind Santas. Brian Cramp is at Miller Grids meeting the artists behind these Christmas collectibles. Hey, Brian. And good morning to you, Derek. I'll tell you what, these are wonderful collectibles to have, great gifts to give, and great to pull out every holiday season. Awesome seeing you again. We met, I believe it was a couple years ago or so, and when I saw your Santas for the first time, I was just in awe, knowing that for nearly three decades at that time, you started making them. Now you're celebrating your 30th anniversary. Congrats to you. How did this start? It wasn't just Santa Claus, really, that kicked off you making these, was it? It was the spirit and much more. Oh yeah. I was one of seven children, and Christmas is always a really magical time for us. So I always just loved it. And so as I got older, got married, you know, didn't have a lot of money, started making Christmas gifts, it just kind of morphed. Yeah, I love that you said you started making Christmas gifts because that's a lost art. And you're still making Christmas gifts and primarily Santas. There are so many on the shelves here. In fact, the Miller Girls usually just comes to you for the Santas, which is great. They're all different themes, too, and that's something that you do well. Thank you. Yeah. Thanks. And when it comes to this year, you got a big one. It's your 30th anniversary. That's right. And that's the one that you're... That's a limited edition. Okay. For this year. you know a handful of those so it'll go fast Only made... it's just something i wanted to do special for my customers that have been collecting me for many many years yeah well since they've been collecting you for many many years that means you've made many do you have an estimate maybe i mean hundreds to say the least but at least i mean we're seeing probably close to 100 just different ones here at least yeah i you know i honestly don't know i just i get into my element i Just create anything that comes to mind that is special to me, and that's all that's important. There's a starting point for everybody, whether it's in a plaid Santa, you know, jacket, or they're laying down on the ground, or whether it's the king of the grill. I love that there are different Santas that also fit different themes for different people, too. And I think that's what we're drawn to. You know, there's like, oh, that reminds me of my dad or my mom or, you know, my husband or wife. Well, the milk and cookies, you know, I mean. Growing up that was a big thing, you know, we set out the milk and cookies for Santa and so that ones have always been a really special. But above that one also Santa also prefers wine. Fine. With his cookies. I understand that one. You always got to have that fun twist. The holidays are all about partying and being with family and friends. Yeah, but you're also bringing in different elements too, it's not just, you know, the Santa, you're really kind of designing around that, that Santa like this one, the beautiful display of what they're wearing, but the reindeer and the tree as well. For you, what's the starting point? Is it just the idea, or is it having that Santa to start with and then... I think it's a combination of all the things you said, and it just kind of, it could be a fabric, it could be a theme, I could just think that, you know, so many people, you know, love to decorate their home elegantly, and yet they still have that, they want that nature, so I kind of try to tie that together. It's wonderful, too, and I know that we're looking at a bunch of these that are available, but on the table behind us, we're going to get those a little bit later on this morning and find out why these are available. These specific Santas are very limited. And I mean very, very limited. You can find at Milliger's. More about those coming up later on this morning, guys. Thanks, Karen. Appreciate your time. Thank you. You can never have too many Santas. Right? And they're so ornate, too. I love it. Beautiful. All right, thanks. All right, let's take a live look here before we head to break. All right, well, a little fluffing of a tree and a few lights can turn an ordinary garland into a holiday showstopper. Brian Cramp is at Milliger's in Racine learning some simple tricks to make your Christmas decorations shine. Hey, Brian. Yeah and they will definitely shine too with some of these tricks. Elsa's joining us. Obviously you love Christmas. We can tell that everybody at Milliger's here loves Christmas. We're amongst the trees that are all lit up but the swag is on the wall here with the wreaths and more and garland. What are we doing to zhoosh this up? Okay so everyone has a garland right? Yeah. Probably have a couple wreaths. You have some garlands. You take that garland out of the box and you put it on that same nail on the door frame and then you think Christmas is ready, right sure, not okay, so if you buy a new garland it kind of looks like this, right? yeah, okay these new garlands, believe it or not, you have to, you have to dress them up, yeah, you have to spread them out fluffy, yeah so um, the new extruded vinyl that you're seeing in garlands usually has like a front and a back so what you have to do, you have to touch every single strand, okay You have to spend a little time and you gotta zhuzh it up. There's a front and a back, like I said, and give it a little bit, yeah, so there's the traditional, and then there's, it's a lot stronger, it's going to last a lot longer, but you have to put life back into it, okay, you have to fluff it, okay, all right, so that's one thing, the second thing you have to do is give it a little bit more life by giving it some color, right, so lights are a great way, so, you know, Everyone, we were just talking about how stressful Christmas can be. Get the stress out of Christmas. This is a really easy light. Just run it through. You can easily take a wire light, run it through back and forth, and you're really just adding so much more to your garlands, right? So look how easy that is. And then you've got color. Yeah. You have that too. And then you can leave that on during the day as well. It doesn't need to just be nighttime in the dark. So now the third thing you can do. So let's say you've like painted your room and like you want to keep your garland because you don't want to buy new stuff but you really want to like you want to match your new decor, right? So you can easily add like um some sprays or picks into your garland like their garland like this and give it just a little bit of pizzazz. Yeah. Okay so give it some color or can you hand me that one right there? Yeah right here. Okay. You can actually use an entire other garland. Oh, look at that! So it's very, very simple. Just twist your garland in, okay? You don't have to wire. You don't have to be stressed out. But look at how much lights and color add to the garland you've already had, okay? We've already all had that garland. Now it's a lot more beautiful. I appreciate that. And I also appreciate that there's a large wall of opportunities here from the team at Milliger's. They open up at 9 o'clock this morning, guys. It's their customer appreciation day. Everything 20% off, regular prices. Elsa, thanks for the tips. We're going to zhuzh our way when we come back next here on Fox 6 Wake Up. I love how that looks. Sounds good, Rob. Thank you so much. Well, whether you're looking for tall or short, classic or colorful, there's a Christmas tree for literally everybody's style at Milliger's. Brian Cramp is down and we're seeing this morning, finding out how to pick the perfect tree for your home. I'm very impressed with this selection here. That's a wide selection, right? From 14 inches to 14 feet, pretty much, trees for all season, Chris. Over 100 trees on display here. Yeah, beautiful. This is for a lot of people. It's just a wonderful space to walk into. Because, you know, They feel good here. It's a feel-good space. That's what Milliger's is. Hey, walk me through some of the things, because we know you have the trees, right, and a wide variety, but also you have trees for all seasons, too, not just for Christmas. No, of course not. And we think everybody should be able to enjoy a tree. It seems like sometimes we hear people say, oh, I don't think I'm going to put a tree up, or I can't do it anymore. So we have little tiny trees. I love that one. But, you know, it could go to a nursing home, it could go to just in a child's home. child's room but I think that this group of trees of course we have a tradition a little more traditional tree and we talked about just whipping the lights through there but I think one of my favorites is this selection that we have at least 25 different options of these twig trees and they come pre-lit or they can be lit With little tiny micro lights like this. You guys love those galaxy lights. Oh, they're just wonderful. So durable, too. Right, and many of them are indoor-outdoor, but you can just run it through the tree. And look at how well you can see the ornaments. Yeah, now some of those you said indoor-outdoor, and some of them are meant for ornaments and other ones aren't. So obviously, you know, anybody that's coming in here can talk to your team and get that information. What makes this season fun for you guys? Because you started almost like the December prior to, don't you? We love Christmas, and so we're always looking to do something better, something more fun, something unusual, and a little more creative. And these trees work out really well decorating for all seasons. So this can be your Valentine tree, it can be St. Patrick's, it can go to... Well, 4th of July is huge, and this is easy to do, easy to take down, and something to look forward to every month. You know, I think it was your daughter that called you Lady Liberty earlier on. Well, that's true. There is actually a tree that is decked out in red, white, and blue down the way there. I mean, you have the ornaments, too. My goodness, we haven't even seen too many ornaments, too. You only turn 250 once in a while. Right. You've got to make that happen, too. I saw the Brewer's Ornament earlier on. You have the collectibles here, you have some of the antiques here, but you also have the trees. Now, what if I need, like, MySpace lit up? Can you guys do that for us as well? Well, of course. Yeah. We will do as much or as little. So we can help you, but we can come and do all your decorating if you like. Yeah, even bring in a 14-foot tree? We can, yes, yes. You won't have to cut it off. At least in my house, you would have to cut it off. Some people have high homes. All right, so you guys open up at 9 o'clock today. It's Customer Appreciation Day. You want to say anything to the customers? Well, we love you. We appreciate you. We couldn't be here without you. Yeah. So come and see us. We have great things, great food today. Yeah, and some great deals, too. 20% off of any regular priced item in the store today. The trees are already at a deep discount, guys. Swing on by Milliger's for seen and sternevent It is their customer appreciation day. As I said, it starts at 9 o'clock. More Fox 6 Wake Up coming back after the break. Thanks, Chris. Well, no two holiday creations are quite alike when artist Karen Didion gets to work. Brian Cramp is at Milliger's showing off some of her most unique Santas as she celebrates 30 years of Christmas magic. Hey, Cramp. Yeah, and Haley, we showed the one that is celebrating those 30 years. It's actually right down there, all lit up, ready to go. And one of the things that I love about these is that that it glows even without lights. It shimmers without lights. You've been doing this for 30 years, Karen, and I know that you enjoy doing it because you're a passionate individual. But when you get to take something that's special to you and then put it into something that somebody Somebody will own, I bet you that. Changes the game a little because that's how you started. So these are very unique because they're one of a kind, one of a kind, and you're selling them for the first time here in Racine. So what's special about these items that you used in your designs for these specific pieces? Most of the items that I use in these pieces are vintage, they The train, for example, with the Mickey Mouse, the actual train's Fisher-Price, it's from the 1950s, it's all wooden, so that I start with as my base, and I build from there. A lot of the little figurines, they're all vintage, antique, as well as, like, on this one here, a lot of the items, cookie cutters, all the different things. This here, for example, was a salesman's sample. Oh, wow. Wow. And they would sell. Yeah, now you have those pieces that have been with you some time, is it hard to get rid of them? I mean, not only the finished piece, but even like the antique itself. It is sometimes, but I make piles as I'm doing these, and so a pile may sit for five, ten years. Sure. And then I just, all of a sudden, I'll come in with that one piece that finishes it, and I'm ready to put it together. You know, from Mickey and Donald to matchbooks, as well as chocolate tins, which you'll find there, these are rare, so if you're really interested in them, you can call the store Get the prices, you can also swing on by, but once they're gone, they're gone. They're also autographed by you, and then there's a certificate of authenticity that comes with that, which is nice. Now, you have a bunch in the background here as well, but also we haven't seen some of these on the other side. Talk about some of those that we're seeing and why maybe these might resonate more with some of the guests that come in today. Well, a lot of these are based off of my one of my... The one of a kind has given me a lot of inspiration for doing this line that is You know the one-of-a-kinds are very special but they that you know they can be very pricey because you know they're done with antiques. Whereas these are ones that people can bring into their home. There's so much detail on them. I think basically all price points right? Correct. Think about it if you want to spend that top dollar for that one of one then you can get that as well. Now there's a big sale going on today people know that they're already here. There's a customer appreciation event happening today. What do you want to say to those that have been supporting you for 30 years? Thank you. Thank you so much for 30 years of believing in me and supporting me and bringing my... Designs into your home, it means a lot. Yeah, and that home is not here in Wisconsin. It's back in Missouri, but you're taking the time today. You're going to be at both locations, the Sturtevant location first at noon, back here at Racine at 3 o'clock. You can meet Karen. You can see some of the stuff that she's done, talk to her, and just admire the work and the beauty here as they get ready for the holiday season in Racine at Millinger's. Always great seeing you, and thanks for taking the time this morning, Karen. Thank you. Appreciate that. Thank you very much. Everything looks apt. Absolutely stunning. Brian put the Disney one on hold for me. More wake up right after this.