A Christmas village in Washington state is fighting to keep the holiday cheer alive after being hit by a storm that left 49 miles of damage and debris.

Leavenworth, located 135 miles from Seattle, is known for its quaint Bavarian-style aesthetic and its vast array of glittering Christmas lights, regularly featuring in lists of America's most festive towns.

But the village of just 2,700 people is struggling to keep the festive spirit alive after a devastating storm took out a 49-mile stretch of Highway 2 between Leavenworth and Skykomish. An entire lane crumbled into the rapids below on part of it.

The roadway closure threatens the village's economy as many businesses make 40 percent of their yearly revenue in the month of the December as tourists flock to the winter wonderland.

Jessica Stoller, a board member of the village's Nutcracker Museum and the director of marketing for the Chamber of Commerce, told the Daily Mail that this time of year is 'very important for our businesses.'

'[The storm] did have a ripple effect for small businesses and employees,' she said. 'Like most businesses in town, the museum has seen a reduction in visitation since last week's storm.'

Leavenworth was hit by an atmospheric river, which is a weather event that can see a narrow band of concentrated water vapor in the sky that transports enormous volumes of moisture causing heavy rain and wind.

Thousands of residents were left without power, causing the village to cancel its annual Village of Lights display last Thursday.

Leavenworth is known for its quaint Bavarian-style aesthetic but a heavy storm caused chaos during the village's busiest time of year

The Christmassy town makes around 40 percent of its annual revenue from tourists in December

After a storm hit last week the town is scrambling to financially keep up. Parts of a major highway have been hit causing a four-hour detour for drivers

An entire highway lane crumbled into the rapids below near Tumwater Canyon. This stretch of road along Highway 2 is now closed

Some residential parts of the village suffered damage from fallen trees, but the downtown touristy areas were luckily unharmed.

It took days to restore power to the community, but the electricity was the least of their long-term worries.

The nearly 50-mile stretch between Skykomish and Leavenworth will be closed for months, according to Governor Bob Ferguson.

The drive between the communities, which are nestled within Cascade Mountain, used to take under an hour. Now to reach one from the other, it will be a four-hour detour.

'The extended Highway 2 closure is certainly a concern,' Stoller told the Daily Mail.

After the storm hit, it forced Leavenworth's Gingerbread Factory restaurant to close for three days, owner Heidi Forchemer told the Daily Mail.

'It was very painful financially,' she said.

'Our business really shines during the Christmas season, as we ship cookies and gingerbread houses all over the country. With the extended power outage, that really put us behind, but our hardworking "elves" have really stepped it up a notch!'

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Crews are working to restore the major highway, but both Leavenworth and Skykomish, which is on the other side of the closed roadway, are struggling to get people back in town

The village is expecting more poor weather later this month. People fear this may affect the current clean-up operation

Even though Leavenworth has opened back up to the public, Forchemer said her downtown location, which usually has a line waiting outside this time of year, has been 'very quiet.'

'This will have a big impact on our yearly income,' she said. 'We are worried and a bit sad, because we will have to cut corners in some areas and also try to make up for it after the New Year, when it is likely we will have more snow.'

And Skykomish businesses have reported the same problems. Louskis Deli, told Fox 13 Seattle, that it's revenue is down 60 to 70 percent from last year due to the storm.

The deli, which is known for its Reuben sandwiches, has already cut hours and fears it might have to shut down completely for months due to a lack of business.

'We don't even know if our employees are just supposed to go on unemployment or how they're going to be compensated through this time,' owner Glenn Eburn said.

Cascadia Inn, also in Skykomish, said it was completely empty and had been all week after the storm.

'We rely a lot on the ski business this time of year, as well as all the people traveling to and from the West Side to Leavenworth and beyond,' owner Henry Sladek told the KIRO radio show on Tuesday.

And things could very much get worse as more bad weather is expected in the area later this month that is feared may impact the clean-up operation.

Roads turned into rivers and collapsed during the heavy storm last week

Officials have warned people to adhere to the road closures to ensure the clean-up is not impacted

The owner of the Gingerbread Factory restaurant in the town said she has seen fewer customers since the storm

Owner of the Gingerbread Factory, Heidi Forchemer, told the Daily Mail her restaurant had to close for three days

Photos released by the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) showed one section of the major highway with an entire lane crumbled into the rapids below near Tumwater Canyon.

Other parts of the road near Stevens Pass have smaller chunks that have broken off and are buried amongst a mix of dirt, slush and downed trees.

WSDOT's efforts to repair the roadway have also been impacted by locals and tourists ignoring closed road signs.

The agency requested drivers follow the signage to allow crews to work effectively to handle the problem as quickly as possible.

'We've seen people cycling and recreating between the closure points on US 2. And, I'm going to be honest, we're disappointed,' the government agency wrote in a lengthy Facebook post on Tuesday.

'For the past week, we've been emphasizing the reality of the conditions around the state, the extent of the damage, and the importance of adhering to ROAD CLOSED signs. Our crews have been working nonstop in miserable weather to stack sandbags, clear debris, assess damage, and make repairs.

'This is one thing they really shouldn't have to deal with,' it continued. 'I mean, look at the pictures. The road is closed because it's dangerous, not because we love closing roads.'

Tumwater Canyon is expected to flood again and crews are keeping a close eye on the area, WSDOT said.

Electricity has been restored and the holiday lights are back on in Leavenworth

The downtown area where tourists flock to had minimal storm damage

Leavenworth keeps its Christmas lights on until February. Businesses in the town are hoping they may recoup some trade in January

Stevens Pass Ski Resort is currently still closed due to highway damage.

Leavenworth, which keeps its lights up until February, is hoping to recoup some of its losses later in the winter.

'It's so very sad that the lights were out for a few days and that our holidays were so severely impacted, but Leavenworth is a jewel in the crown of the Cascades, and we hope many people will come and visit soon,' Forchemer said.

Christmas village battles to save itself after being hit by storms