Five of the best towns in the U.S. to visit for holiday cheer
By Jeremy Long
There are places where Christmas isn't just a date but a full-blown sparkling madness wrapped in tinsel and twinkling lights. It's sometimes kitschy, a little over the top, but there's always an irresistible allure to their gumdrop-covered excess.
There's a long list of places in the United States that do Christmas well, but only a handful of towns can claim to be the very best.
McAdenville, North Carolina
Each December, McAdenville sheds its quiet outer layer and becomes something else entirely. Seemingly, at the flip of a switch, McAdenville transforms into "Christmas Town USA," a dazzling holiday spectacle with hundreds of thousands of lights and events designed for the entire family.
The seasonal festivities kick off with a brilliant tree lighting ceremony and are followed throughout the month by the annual Yule Log Parade (which began in 1949), Santa's Workshop at North Pole Park, and more family gathering events than you can shake a candy cane at.
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches (pronounced 'Nack-a-tish') has been a beacon of holiday cheer since 1927. What began as a one day festival has now grown into a weeks-long Christmas extravaganza with 300,000 lights, a multitude of displays, and jubilant events designed for community evolvement.
Visitors have their pick from drone and firework shows, a Holiday Kids Fest, live musical entertainment, a flashy Festival of Lights Parade and Mistletoe Market, and the popular Christmas Tour of Homes and Lighted Boat Parade.
Some of the events do require an advanced ticket purchase and the holiday happenings stretch into the new year, so it's best to plan ahead.
Leavenworth, Washington
Each year from the end of November until February, Leavenworth becomes a snow globe come to life. Over half a million lights don't just decorate the town, they engulf it.
Travelers are encouraged to meander through the Village of Lights at no charge while enjoying endless choirs, bands, and entertainment that permeate the air with holiday music and cheer. Families have opportunities for pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, vendors of all kinds, Christmastown at the Festhalle, and fun Gingerbread house competitions.
Santa Claus, Indiana
Established in 1854, Santa Claus originally had the much more pedestrian name of "Santa Fe." Lucky for them, that town already existed in Indiana, and eventually the townspeople chose the far superior Santa Claus name.
Since then the town has fully leaned into the holiday moniker. Thousands of letters to Santa from around the world pass through its post office (and a group of volunteers make sure each letter receives a reply from St. Nick himself), while the town bursts to life with Christmas favorites such as the Santa Claus Christmas Parade, arts and crafts show, live reindeer exhibit, the festival of lights, ice skating, and more.
North Pole, Alaska
Just south of Fairbanks, North Pole lives in the Christmas spirit throughout the year. The town features holiday decor no matter the season and features popular attractions like the Santa Claus House, which is a vast storefront with countless shelves of ornaments and toys, walls covered with letters to Santa from children around the globe, a magical Santa's Workshop, as well as tasty cookies and treats. Visitors can also sit with Santa and tell him any secret Christmas wishes.
Crowds gather in December for the Winterfest and Holiday Bazaar, where local vendors sell unique crafts and gifts, and people are rewarded with a holiday-themed fireworks show.
Jingle-cravers are in for a treat with a host of outdoor activities just outside the city limits and should make time to visit the replica homesteader's cabin and totem pole before heading to Chena Lake for a bit of ice fishing.