I Live in the Midwest and This Is the Best Place to Celebrate Christmas-With 4 Weeks of Festivities and Bavarian Charm

"Blame it on Hallmark movies, but there is something undeniably dreamy about spending the holidays in a small town that's big on community and big on Christmas. In the Midwest, Stillwater, Minnesota, is that town. Located along the scenic Saint Croix River just outside Minneapolis-St. Paul, this historic community even rebranded Black Friday as " Plaid Friday," encouraging visitors to skip the early-morning retail frenzy and shop at the independently owned shops along Main Street instead."

""I really feel as though it's the collective experience," says Kelly Nygaard, president of Discover Stillwater, the town's convention and visitors bureau. She says the secret of Stillwater's holiday charm is how the community is able to coordinate a month-long celebration without it feeling forced or losing its authentic atmosphere. The town's Christmas festivities revolve around four themed weekends. Nov. 28-30 is Shop Small Weekend, December 4-7 is Twinkle Weekend, December 11-14 is Candy Town Weekend, and December 18-21 is Furry Friends Weekend."

""Seeing the downtown and the historic lift bridge with fresh snow looks like it belongs in a snowglobe," Nygaard says. You'll also hear Victorian carolers strolling through Main Street, and there are even horse-drawn wagon rides on weekends that you can ride for free. When the Christmas tree lighting happens, elves take over the streets with gift cards for local shops. You don't want to miss the annual gingerbread house contest either."

Stillwater, Minnesota stages a month-long, community-driven holiday season along the Saint Croix River near Minneapolis–St. Paul. The town rebranded Black Friday as Plaid Friday to encourage shopping at independently owned Main Street businesses. Festivities center on four themed weekends—Shop Small, Twinkle, Candy Town, and Furry Friends—plus a traditional Christmas Market serving glühwein and goulash and popups with live music, food, and handcrafted gifts. The illuminated historic Lift Bridge, Victorian carolers, free horse-drawn wagon rides, elves distributing gift cards during the tree lighting, and an annual gingerbread house contest create a walkable, authentic small-town holiday atmosphere.

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