4 Michigan-grown cannabis strains that are getting me through the holidays

From bright sativas to heavy indicas, these are the Michigan-grown strains helping me survive family gatherings, icy roads, and the holiday chaos.

MichiGanja in Review is a column that publishes twice monthly as part of The MichiGanja Report—our free, weekly newsletter about all things marijuana. Click here to sign up.

MICHIGAN—The holidays are supposed to be cozy and magical. 

But let’s be honest: They’re also chaotic and aggressively social.

Between family gatherings, last-minute holiday shopping, icy roads, and the emotional endurance test that is Michigan winter, my grinder has been working some real overtime. And over the last couple weeks, four strains have basically become my seasonal coping toolkit.

These are the Michigan-grown picks that are helping to carry me through the chaos—whether I need a mood boost, a deep breath, or just a little help holding it together until January.

Shiraz by MichiGrown

Shiraz is exactly what it sounds like: a strain that smokes like a glass of red wine at the end of a long day. It’s a cross between Gelato #41 and Jealousy #7 from MichiGrown, which makes for an inherently fruity, grapey flavor profile, with some earthy funk underneath to keep it grounded.

Crack the jar and it smells like someone spilled berry preserves on a cutting board. And the buds are absolutely stunning—dense, trichome-heavy nugs with streaks of purple and orange you’ll want to admire for a minute before grinding.

Effect-wise, Shiraz is my unwind button. A shoulder-dropping calm kicks in first, followed by a warm, mood-lifting blanket that makes even awkward holiday small talk feel tolerable. It’s chill without being sedating and euphoric enough to make cheesy Christmas movies feel profound.

Peachy Keen by LightSky Farms

Peachy Keen has become my default “I need a vibe but I still have things to do” strain. 

This Mangorita and King Sherb crossbreed from Lightsky Farms smells like fresh peaches with a hint of tropical funk, making it bright but not artificial and fruity without going full candy mode.

It’s smooth on the inhale and delivers a balanced, breezy high that softens the day without derailing it. This is the strain I reach for before heading out for holiday errands, wrapping presents, or braving round two of grocery shopping because I somehow forgot the coffee again.

Maui Wowie 2.0 by Glacier

Maui Wowie is one of those old-school strains that has been in circulation for so many decades that its true identity has gotten a little blurry. And nowadays, it seems everyone has their own version, with few actually resembling the original strain—if that strain even existed at all.

Regardless, Glacier Cannabis’ take, Maui Wowie 2.0, is good stuff. The nose is pure vacation: bright pineapple, sharp citrus, and a tropical sweetness that can really stink up a whole room before it even makes its way out of your grinder, along with a flavor profile to match. 

The effects are exactly what I need this time of year: uplifting without being chaotic, creative without spiraling, and energizing without feeling like I drank cold brew too fast. It’s the strain I reach for when I need to stay productive despite the fact that the sun is setting at 4:58 p.m.

Dual OG by Royale

Dual OG by Royale is the closer—the strain that ends the day with authority. It’s reportedly a cross between True OG and Banana OG, but Ascend Cannabis doesn’t post the exact lineage of this in-house strain. Regardless, this is some deeply, unapologetically relaxing weed. 

The nose is creamy sweetness layered over classic diesel. On the inhale, it’s smooth and flavorful, the kind of gas that doesn’t punch you in the throat but lets you know it’s there. 

And the effects? Immediate. Shoulders drop, jaw unclenches, brain powers down. This is what I smoke when I have absolutely nothing left to do in the evening. It’s calming, mood-softening, and very good at convincing me that bedtime should happen much sooner than planned.

READ MORE: Tempest by Artifact is basically modern art that gets you high

Got a Michigan cannabis product worth reviewing? Let us know—right here.

Want more cannabis news delivered right to your inbox? Click here to sign up for The MichiGanja Report—our free, weekly newsletter about all things marijuana.