These Festive Christmas Towns Feel Like a Hallmark Movie, and yes, Stillwater, MN

There’s something especially magical about small-town holiday traditions. Come to these Midwest holiday destinations for bustling Christmas markets, parades the entire town seems to watch, carolers decked out in Victorian garb, holiday lights, visits with reindeer and more. Some towns have festivities throughout December, while others focus on just one or two special weekends, so check your calendar and, like Santa, make your list. You might want to visit more than one.

…

St. Charles, Missouri

Across the Missouri River just northwest of St. Louis, St. Charles is well-known for its annual Victorian Christmas festivities. 2024 is particularly special, as St. Charles Christmas Traditions celebrates its 50th season. The merriment returns to Main Street’s cobblestone streets on weekends from November 29 to December 24, with highlights including Victorian Santa Claus and carolers, afternoon parades, a gold-themed tree for the ‘golden’ anniversary and a holiday food hall. On Wednesdays, join A Christmas Carol Stroll, a scene straight out of the Charles Dickens classic, and celebrate “wonderfully weird holiday customs” at Krampus Karnival on Friday nights.

…

Paoli, Wisconsin

Although it’s on the outskirts of bustling Madison, tiny, unincorporated Paoli feels worlds away, particularly during Christmas. Each December weekend is packed with old-fashioned holiday fun, like the Christmas in Paoli Original Cookie Crawl on December 7. Make a donation (this year’s benefits River Food Pantry), grab a bag and stroll downtown, stopping into participating shops for different cookies and fun seasonal surprises. The Chriskindlmarket on the Sugar River Flats takes over Seven Acre Dairy Company December 13–15, with offerings that go way beyond the traditional European market. Between shopping, interact with reindeer, walk along the holiday light trail, go sledding under twinkling lights or warm up in a riverside igloo.

Lebanon, Ohio

Halfway between Cincinnati and Dayton, this antique mecca’s brick-paved downtown sets the scene for an idyllic holiday retreat. Huge crowds come to see majestic horses pull over 100 vintage carriages through town in the annual Horse Drawn Carriage Parade on December 7. The LM&M Railroad North Pole Express delights families all season long with a jolly train ride to Santa’s workshop, including visits with the big guy in red on the way. Whether you’re in town for the afternoon or staying overnight, a stop into Golden Lamb Restaurant and Hotel is a must. The 221-year-old boutique hotel is the oldest continuously operating business in Ohio.

…

Holland, Michigan

A storybook-perfect Dutch town, Holland brings plenty of holiday magic to the shores of Lake Michigan. Holiday Open House unwraps the season the Saturday before Thanksgiving, giving the first glimpse of beautifully decorated downtown—and opportunities to pet live reindeer. On December 3, more than 75 vehicles and floats escort Santa into town in the Parade of Lights. Magic at the Mill illuminates the centuries-old DeZwaan windmill while thousands of LED-shaped tulips “bloom” at its base to synchronized music and Sinterklaas greets guests. Holland’s Kerstmarkt, weekends from Thanksgiving through Christmas, rotates vendors so each weekend is a totally new experience.

…

Stillwater, Minnesota

A quick 30 minute-drive south of the Twin Cities, Stillwater—aka the “birthplace of Minnesota”—is transformed into a fanciful Christmas Village during its annual Hometown for the Holidays celebration. Every weekend in December, you can enjoy Santa and live reindeer, Victorian carolers and themed events such as Gingerbread Weekend and Furry Friend Weekend. Don’t miss Christkindlmarkt on December 7, and be sure to visit the only U.S. location of Kӓthe Wohlfahrt, Germany’s famous Christmas shop.

 

Galena, Illinois

…

Thousands of twinkling lights, fresh garland, and streetlights wearing red bows make this historic riverside town even more magical for a Christmas shopping getaway. Just walking around Galena during the holiday season is enough to get you in the Christmas spirit, but if the timing works out, come for the Holidaze Festival (December 7, 2024) or Night of the Luminaria and Living WIndows (December 14, 2024). Holidaze features dozens of local food and craft vendors, outdoor ice skating and a spectacular fireworks display. Night of the Luminaria, one of the biggest events of the year, bathes Galena in the soft glow of more than 5,000 candlelit luminaria. The event aligns with Living Windows, when the 100-plus shops lining Main Street present elaborate window displays and stay open late.

…

Lindsborg, Kansas

…

Lindsborg brings beloved Scandinavian Christmas traditions to life starting in mid-November. The season kicks off with Holiday Open House, when downtown shops reveal intricately decorated facades. The Snowflake Parade on December 7 includes a wacky procession of goats and ugly sweaters, and the town’s main holiday event, the St. Lucia Festival, takes place on December 14. During the festival, Swedish folk music and dancers fill the streets ahead of the crowning of St. Lucia, a symbol of hope and warmth. Stjärngosse (star boys) and girls dressed in white lead the crowd to Bethany Lutheran Church, where a service honors St. Lucia and includes serving ginger cookies and coffee. Wrap up the season with the Christmas morning Julotta church service and Annandag Jul (“another day of Christmas”) on December 26th.

…

Pella, Iowa

…

While this town southeast of Des Moines is best known for its spring Tulip Time festival, Pella brims with Dutch traditions during the holidays. On the first weekend of December, the town hosts a Dutch Christmas Market called Kerstmarkt; the arrival of Sinterklaas on a huge wooden boat; and the Annual Christmas Tour of Homes, a 60-plus-year-old tradition. Sample poffertjes (small puffy pancakes) and bisschopswijn (mulled wine) as you browse Kerstmarkt, snap a photo with Santa at the Central Park Windmill and enjoy a hot cocoa bar and horse-drawn carriage rides following Sinterklaas’ arrival.

Santa Claus, Indiana

…

The festivity bar is high in a town named after St. Nick, but Santa Claus doesn’t disappoint. Starting Thanksgiving weekend, the southern Indiana town becomes a hub of charming, old-fashioned Christmas nostalgia. Roast chestnuts over an open fire, pioneer-style, at Santa’s Candy Castle. Drive through Santa Claus Land of Lights, explore Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home by candlelight and get your holiday cards stamped with an official Santa Claus postmark, hand-drawn each year by local students. New in 2024, you can also interact with real reindeer at family-owned Santa’s Reindeer Ranch.

…

Ozark, Missouri

A small, scenic town equidistant between Springfield and Branson, Ozark goes all out for Christmas. In addition to the annual tree lighting and parade, in 2024 the town hosts Jingle, a sprawling pop-up event already in St. Louis and Kansas City. Fully immerse yourself in Jingle’s winter wonderland, divided into four “neighborhoods” with activities including snow tubing, an ice skating trail, a traditional Christmas market and an adults-only après-themed lodge.

Consider making a weekend of it and heading to Branson’s Silver Dollar City for An Old Time Christmas, frequently named a top theme park holiday event.

More Festive Towns to Explore 

Carmel, Indiana, just north of Indianapolis, hosts an impressive Christkindlmarkt with over 60 vendors, outdoor ice skating and seven types of mulled wine Wednesday-Sunday, November 23-December 24. Another traditional German Christkindlmarkt takes over the weekly farmers market in Frankenmuth, Michigan, aka “Little Bavaria,” but the real holiday draw is Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. Covering an area equal to 1.5 football fields, it’s the world’s largest Christmas store (and it’s open year-round). Celebrate all season in Caldwell, Ohio, with outdoor ice skating, Santa’s Shuttle tours through the most decorated parts of town (wear your PJ’s!) and Christmas donkeys and reindeer. St. Charles, Illinois, starts the season with Holiday Homecoming the days after Thanksgiving, featuring a Lighting of the Lights Ceremony, Electric Christmas Parade, a holiday movie, and other holiday activities. Craving some time in the mountains? Head to the Black Hills, South Dakota, where you can explore over 400 miles of epic snowmobiling trails and ski Terry Peak as well as partake of Christmas traditions like old-fashioned train rides and the Deadwood Cowboy Christmas.