America’s Most Perfect Christmas Towns

Located about 30 minutes from Syracuse, Skaneateles is a town so filled with Holiday joy that it could put the Hallmark Channel to shame. Each year the town begins its holiday celebrations the day after Thanksgiving through December 24. And every weekend in between is filled with merriment as Charles Dickens comes to life with more than 50 other Christmas characters. Each one interacts with visitors in stores, restaurants, and right on the street. In Skaneateles, guests can also snack on free roasted chestnuts, take part in carol singing, visit with Santa, and take a horse and wagon rides around the village before settling in for the night.

If you want to get into the holiday spirit, perhaps you need to head to the source of all that joy—North Pole, Alaska. There really is no Christmas “season” in North Pole as its more of a year-round celebration. However, the adorable town, located just 20 minutes from Fairbanks, truly shines over the holidays. It even helps return letters written to Santa. Since 1952, the Santa Claus House processes the thousands of letters sent to the town. Visitors can go inside and order a letter to be sent to their child or grandchild. With the letter signed from Santa, recipients will also get a Santa Claus Dollar. Guests to the town can even purchase the deed to one square inch of the North Pole to give as a gift or keep for themselves.

Woodstock, Vermont is about as charming as charming gets. The adorable New England town is an ideal place to visit during any season. But, during the holidays, it’s typically a snowy wonderland that makes everyone feel like they are living inside of a snowglobe. Each year, the town takes the holidays to a whole new level with the annual Wassail Weekend. For more than three decades the town’s most famous inn, the Woodstock Inn and Resort, hosts a weekend filled with historic house tours, a visit or two from Santa, an equestrian Christmas parade, as well as the town’s annual tree lighting. This year’s events will take place from December 13 to 15, so start planning now.

Forget the 12 days of Christmas. In Bardstown, the season is at least six weeks long. Yes, there are plenty of traditional festivities to take part in like attending the lighting of the tree, visiting with Santa, and doing a little carol singing. But, because Bardstown bills itself as the "Bourbon Capital of the World," its area distilleries also get in on the fun with candlelight tours. Last year, Barton 1792 Distillery’s held its own “Making Spirits Bright By Lantern Light” tours. Maker’s Mark also gets in on the fun with holiday parties in its Victorian village. Visitors to the town can also hop aboard the Kentucky Railway’s Santa Express for its North Pole Express runs.

If adventure is on your holiday to-do list Durango, Colorado should be your destination of choice. The town located in the southwest corner of the state is home to powder-filled mountains for hiking, skiing, snowboarding, and more. And, during the holidays, it adds even more joy with a jam-packed schedule of other activities too, including its annual light parade, the Snowdown Hot Air Balloon Rally, sleigh rides, dog sledding, and so much more.

Sure, the warm weather, palm trees, and sandy beaches may not scream “Christmas,” but don’t get it twisted. Newport Beach is one serious holiday town. Each year, the southern California community comes together to celebrate as one with its fantastic light displays. Every year, Fashion Island, a true shopping mecca, throws a massive bash for its tree lighting right before Thanksgiving. Next, visitors can head to the harbor for the Lighting of the Bay at Newport Dunes. Santa arrives by stand up paddleboard. Next, the harbor comes to life with more than 50 illuminated trees floating in the water. And these events are only the beginning.

Frankenmuth may be a tiny town with just 5,000 residents, but, it’s home to one major holiday attraction: The World’s Largest Christmas Store. Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland Store first opened its doors way back in 1945 and has been selling year-round Christmas gear ever since. You could visit the town in July or in December, and the twinkle would all be the same. That’s because Christmas Lane, where Bronner’s is located, is lit up 365 days a year with more than 50,000 strings of lights. Don’t worry. The store has plenty of lights left for you to buy and decorate with too.

If a town’s name is Santa Claus you’d expect it to be into the holidays. True to its name, Santa Claus, Indiana blows past all expectations to ensure the holiday season is nothing short of spectacular. Each December, the town throws a three-weekend long extravaganza that takes over the entire town. Visitors are invited to snap photos with its famed Santa statue, write letters to Santa at the Santa Claus Post Office, watch the Santa Claus Christmas Parade, visit the Santa Claus Arts & Crafts Show, and peruse the town’s Festival of Lights. That will be plenty to fill your day before tucking in for a long winter’s night.