The holidays are a festive time of year, full of twinkle lights, time-honored traditions, and even a bit of magic. Ohio certainly makes the most of this magical season, stretching the festivities from November well into the New Year. Across the Buckeye State, you'll find Christmas towns that you thought only existed in your imagination -- or a Hallmark movie -- and today, we're sharing the best of the best. These Christmas towns in Ohio pull out the stops, from festivals featuring horse-drawn carriages and live reindeer to city-wide to-dos with massive ice sculptures and Christmas carolers. Because, you know, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.
1. Portsmouth
Think of your classic Hallmark Christmas Town -- the lights, the cheer, the whimsy -- and put it in unassuming and humble Ohio. Welcome to Portsmouth, an Ohio Christmas town that was officially deemed The Hallmark Channel’s 2019 Hometown Christmas Town! From holiday shopping and pictures with Santa to ice skating and snow tubing, this humble little town is the place to be come Christmas season.
2. Lebanon
One of our all-time favorite small towns in Ohio, Lebanon is at peak charm levels come Christmas, when the entire town dazzles with twinkling lists, red-and-green wreaths, and oodles of festive fun! If you're looking for your very own Hallmark holiday movie experience, visit during the annual Lebanon Horse Drawn Carriage Parade, an event bursting with holiday spirit and cheer. The festivities aren't limited to the town square, however; historic spots like the Glendower Historic Mansion and Arboretum also get decked to the nines for the holidays, making for an extra enchanting and magical Christmas town experience in Lebanon, Ohio.
3. Bellefontaine
Bellefontaine is home to the oldest concrete street in America, but during the holidays, *all* of this small town's central streets are bright and brag-worthy. Less than 50 miles from Dayton and Columbus, this historic town is infused with the spirit of the holidays and a tight-knit community that will welcome you as one of their own. Festive wreaths and decor, red ribbons, twinkle lights, and perhaps a dusting of snow to accompany a visit from St. Nick -- magic has been known to happen in Bellefontaine, Ohio, at Christmastime. Come for the Christmas Parade, stay and shop local, and you might find it very hard to leave this delightful little locale.
4. Zoar
Ohio's small towns and historic villages are all incredibly charming this time of year, but there's one little locale that could charm even The Grinch during the holiday season. The historic village of Zoar is one of Ohio’s most enchanting towns year-round, but it shines extra bright come Christmas. During the titular Christmas in Zoar event, the entire town rallies in the name of holiday spirit -- historic home tours, a tree lighting ceremony, live caroling, and unabashed Christmas cheer make Zoar *the* place to experience the pure and simple joy of the season.
5. Medina
Medina might be best-known for it's post-holiday pizzazz (if you've never been to the Medina Ice Festival, which happens each February, consider this your "sign" to do so!), the town is equally charming at Christmas. Medina's Public Square is basically Stars Hollow come to life, complete with a parade and tree lighting ceremony that would make Taylor Doose jealous!
6. Cambridge
If you've ever dreamed of traveling back in time to experience a gilded Victorian Christmas, simply head to Cambridge, Ohio, at the holidays. Each winter, the town of Cambridge, Ohio, transforms into 1850s England for two whole months of festive fun during Dickens Victorian Village. This beloved event is an interactive public art exhibition that immerses visitors in Victorian England at Christmas; displays include engaging depictions of classic Dickens-era scenes and figures such as Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim, the town crier, groups of carolers, a bucket brigade, lamplighters, school children, street peddlers, and Father Christmas, all posed in active scenes that appear frozen in time. For some 21st century sparkle, the historic courthouse comes alive each night with thousands of dancing, synchronized lights, making Dickens Victorian Village an enchanting experience that's pure holiday magic.
7. Grand Rapids
Historic and beautiful, Grand Rapids is an impossibly charming town that is one of Ohio's best-kept secrets. This tiny town of just under 1,000 residents goes big for the holidays, however, with downtown shops creating the kind of old-fashioned window displays department stores used to do, and a city-wide "Christmas Open House" inviting residents and out-of-towners into the festive fold. If you're looking to really enjoy the festive fun, a night at the Grand Kerr House makes for a delightful holiday getaway in Ohio.
This holiday season, embrace the magic and let yourself be filled with childlike awe and wonder at one (or many!) of these Christmas towns in Ohio -- it's a marvelous way to tie a big, beautiful bow on the year.
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