Towns with Christmas Names Where You Can Live For Real
It’s the most wonderful time of the year all year in these 10 cities with Christmas town names.
What’s in a name, anyway? When it comes to naming a city or town, the name is usually related to the original founders. Sometimes, the origin of the town name has to do with the landscape, the natural resources or the animals, too.
We hopped on our sleigh to find different cities with Christmas town names. Which begs the question: Is Santa real if these 10 places across the country have festive names? If you want to feel the magic of the season year-round, consider checking out these ho-ho-holiday cities.
1. Santa Claus, IN
Known as “America’s Christmas Hometown,” this quaint rural town in southwestern Indiana evokes holiday charm year-round. Everything is Christmas-themed in Santa Claus — you’ve got the Santa Claus museum and village, Holiday World theme park and many different restaurants and shops to check out.
Originally called Santa Fe, the town changed its name to Santa Claus when Santa Fe was already taken. Nowadays, the town of 2,579 people fully embraces the festive theme 365 days a year.
2. Snowflake, AZ
Snow in Snowflake? Well, not really. But, this city does have a fun Christmas town name! The town of Snowflake is actually a great place for people to go if they are looking for a sunny retreat in the winter. You can still have all the Christmas feels in this town while enjoying mild weather.
The town of Snowflake is home to roughly 5,500 people and was named after two Mormon pioneers — Erastus Snow and William Jordan Flake — who settled the town in 1878.
3. North Pole, AK
Located in Alaska, the city of North Pole is a real place to live with a Christmas town name. The small city is home to 2,285 people who keep the season of Christmas alive all year long. In North Pole, you’ll see candy cane lights adorning the streets, Christmas stores, Santa Claus statues and even street names like Kris Kringle Drive.
If you’re a Grinch and don’t love the holidays, don’t fret! You can still be on the nice list because there are plenty of outdoor activities you’ll love, too. This Alaskan city with a Christmas town name offers beaches, hiking trails and the beautiful scenery Alaska has to offer.
4. Rudolph, WI
Rudolph is everyone’s favorite reindeer and those who live in this tiny town with a Christmas town name seem to love the area, too. Home to about 450 people, this rural place is actually famous for its cheese. Perhaps the reindeer stop here on Christmas Eve for a dairy snack?
5. Holladay, UT
Holladay is a medium-sized suburb in Salt Lake City with a festive Christmas town name. Home to approximately 31,000 people, this town makes the holidays festive by lighting a tree in the city center throughout the season.
6. Noel, MO
Noel is a holiday term that means “to be born.” It’s also a Christmas town name for a city in Missouri. This city lives up to it’s holiday-sounding name and has special postage stamps for any mail addressed to it. All holiday mail is stamped with their renowned postmark.
Aside from the Christmas tree and red wreath stamps, the town of Noel is a destination for people who want to enjoy the amazing scenery of the Ozarks. So, if you’re looking for a festive place to visit, check out Noel: The Christmas City of the Ozarks.
7. Holly Hill, FL
Have a holly, jolly Christmas in Holly Hill. This place with a Christmas town name is a great place to be year-round. It’s a lovely seaside village and is home to about 12,000 people. The city name was derived from Holy Hill but through the years has morphed into Holly Hill.
8. Garland, TX
While this city with a Christmas town name wasn’t named after festive holiday greenery, it still has a Christmas-y sounding name. Located near Dallas, Garland is a large suburb that over 200,000 people call home. It’s a great place to live, plus, it has a festive name to keep Christmas alive all year long.
9. Bethlehem, PA
The city of Bethlehem capitalizes on its Christmas town name and is known as a Christmas City because it really plays up its holiday events, light displays and shops full of holiday magic.
The Pennsylvania city’s name was chosen by German Moravians, who settled the land in 1741 on Christmas Eve.
10. Christmas, MI
This little town in the upper peninsula of Michigan is a charming place year-round. Home to only 400 people, the residents of Christmas have transformed the city into a resort destination for snowmobilers. This town was named after a resident who made a holiday gift factory here. While the factory no longer exists, people in Christmas, Michigan, keep the spirit of Christmas alive 365 days a year.
Enjoy the magic of the season year-round in these places with Christmas town names
Each town listed has a holiday-sounding name. While some of these towns live up the Christmas theme year-round, others leave Christmas behind come January.
Regardless, all of these places have magic to offer residents and tourists alike. Each city has beautiful scenery, great food and shopping options and friendly people who are on Santa’s nice list.
