This weekend, my family gathered for our annual tradition: trimming the Christmas tree. As we hummed along to Christmas music and sipped hot cocoa by the fire, I joked that my mom likes to keep her Christmas lights up all year long. It was then that I started thinking about entire cities that celebrate the holidays year round.
Indeed, scattered across the country are towns that never lose their holiday spirit. From Christmas, FL to Rudolph, Wisconsin, these seven holiday-themed towns are worth your visit this month:
Snowflake, Arizona
For many, the first snowflakes of the year symbolize the beginning of Winter. Fortunately, the town of Snowflake is all too prepared. The town hands out over one thousand cups of hot cocoa after its annual holiday parade.
Noel, Missouri
Christmas would not be the same without the melodious chorus of carolers singing “The First Noel.” Noel, Missouri, carries on the Christmas spirit every month of the year. The self-proclaimed “Christmas City” is nestled among the Ozark Mountains and situated along the beautiful Elk River.
North Pole, Alaska
Every child knows that Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, but did you know that the North Pole is in Alaska? Indeed, the city of North Pole, Alaska, boasts the slogan “where the spirit of Christmas lives year ‘round!” We like the sound of that.
Rudolph, Wisconsin
If Santa resides in the North Pole, his red-nosed counterpart must find his seasonal home to be in Wisconsin. The city of Rudolph is so proud of their reindeer friend that they display more than three dozen street signs featuring a silhouette of the famous, flying animal.
Christmas, Florida
As a Florida native, I’ve had the good fortune of visiting the town of Christmas on more than one occasion. During the summer, the town is calm and quiet, but that all changes in December. Tucked away off Highway 50, thousands of visitors line outside of the town’s post office in December to ensure their card or package is mailed with the unique postmark of “Christmas, FL.”
Santa Claus, Indiana
In an ode to Jolly ‘ol Saint Nicholas himself, one small town in Indiana is devoted to keeping the magic of Santa Claus alive year round. The city dedicates an entire page on its website to featuring holiday-themed attractions in town. This little town receives thousands of letters addressed to Santa.
We hope these fun cities will help get you into the spirit of the holidays. If you have plans to visit one of these featured towns or if you’ve visited one in the past, we’d love to hear more about your experience. Comment below or tag your photos with #drivethenation on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
