7 US destinations with Christmas names you never knew existed

You know how you envision Christmas towns to look, all dressed up just for the holidays? But did you know that throughout the United States, there are cities and towns whose names will evoke Christmas year-round? Some by design, some by accident and all, perhaps most hilariously (or preposterously), by history that reads as though it can’t possibly be this merry all the time. Apart from adorning and Decemberish cheer, these places have stories to tell that link geography with faith and folklore.

On December 25, 1837, between 1,000 and 2,000 US Army troops (now including Alabama Volunteers) arrived to establish a military post in the area they named Fort Christmas. The fort was one of over 200 built during the Second Seminole War. A post office was established in the community in 1892.

Arguably the most notorious Christmas-named town in America, Santa Claus was once known as Santa Fe. When postal authorities disapproved of the name, residents selected ‘Santa Claus’ in 1856. The town leaned into the gimmick, boasting a Santa Claus Museum and several streets all inspired by St. Nick, as well as one of the highest annual volumes of letters to Santa in the country.

Located in Fairbanks, the North Pole once sounded like a place out of a storybook, until it suddenly wasn’t. The town changed its name to something more festive in the 1950s to attract visitors and boost tourism. There are streets named Santa Claus Lane and Kris Kringle Drive, while the town has year-round Christmas attractions, despite chilling winter seasons, which feels fittingly right and on point considering how they experience Arctic winters.

Noel comes from the French word meaning Christmas. Established in the late 19th century near the Arkansas border, the town is thought to have been named for settlers who initially arrived during Christmas time. Despite being tiny, Noel makes a big deal of the holiday season and has postcard-perfect charm come December.

Bethlehem’s connection to Christmas runs deep, and is interesting. The town was named Bethlehem on Christmas Eve in 1741 by Moravian bishop Nicolaus Zinzendorf. In 1747, it became the first place in the United States to display a decorated Christmas tree. Later, on December 7, 1937, amid the Great Depression, Bethlehem officially embraced the title 'Christmas City USA' during a grand public ceremony. The city also sits within Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, a region notable for towns like Egypt, Emmaus, Jordan Creek, and Nazareth, all bearing names inspired by biblical locations.

Named for the nearby Christmas Lake, located in a spot that early settlers supposedly made use of at Christmastime. Although bearing the snow covered sounding name, the town lies amid volcanic areas and flat plains, which is a contrast, but a catchy thing.

Although it is not actually named for the holiday, Holly has a strong holiday feel. The town itself is named after holly plants indigenous to the area, but its historic downtown and annual Dickens Festival has linked it closely with Christmas iconography. In the winter, Holly becomes something that looks like it was designed straight out of a holiday card.