Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food and Recipes
  • Culture and Lifestyle
  • Style
  • Holidays & Occasions
  • Home
  • Gardening Ideas
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      Here are the haircuts you'll be seeing everywhere this year. Read More
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More
    • 50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      Not sure what to write in a thank you card? Here's how to show your gratitude with a handwritten note. Read More
  • Food and Recipes

    Food and Recipes

    See All Food and Recipes
    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    It’s not all in the senses, but they sure can help.
    • Recipes
    • Quick and Easy Dinner
    • Kitchen Assistant
    • Casserole
    • Holiday and Occasion Food
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Healthy and Light
    • Side Dishes
    • Party Food and Drink
    • Appetizers
    • Meat
    • Breakfast
    • BBQ
    • Drinks
    • What's Cooking
  • Culture and Lifestyle

    Culture and Lifestyle

    See All Culture and Lifestyle
    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    Let your besties know how much they mean to you with these unique nicknames.
    • Quotes and Sayings
    • Biscuits and Jam Podcast
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Healthy Living
    • Coastal Living
  • Style

    Style

    See All Style
    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The beginning of a new year often has us all feeling like starting off fresh by taking on better habits, getting rid of old ones, and—most commonly—changing up our look. While others are hitting the squats and going into the salon for a pixie cut, why not start slow and steady with a cozy winter manicure in a color that feels new to you? It takes only a little courage to step outside your usual OPI Lincoln Park After Dark or Essie Bordeaux, which is all you need to kick 2022 off on a fanciful foot.  From new wintry takes on classic dark nail colors to unique pops of color that'll have you feeling the opposite of boring, these are the best nail colors to try this January and tick off all the way into spring. 
    • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Fashion
    • Short Hairstyles
    • Nails
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Skincare
    • Long Hairstyles
  • Holidays & Occasions

    Holidays & Occasions

    See All Holidays & Occasions
    • Thanksgiving
    • Gifts
    • Christmas
    • Mother's Day
    • Hanukkah
    • New Year's
    • Easter
    • Mardi Gras
    • 4th of July
    • Weddings
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    There's no denying how the pandemic fundamentally changed the world—including how we live (and work) inside our homes. An overall trend toward celebrating the history and originality of our homes is displacing ultramodern aesthetics and sharp lines as we all look to create cozier, colorful, more personalized spaces that better suit our lifestyles. We're turning away from big-box stores and toward vintage items—first, out of necessity due to supply-chain issues, and now, for design reasons—to add charm and character to every room in the house, including the kitchen. Here, interior designers from around the South share their predictions for what's trending in kitchen design for 2022 and beyond.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Kitchen Design
    • Before & After Photos
    • Bathroom Design
    • Curb Appeal
    • Bedroom Design
    • DIY Home Decor
    • Color Palettes & Paint
    • House Plans & Builders
    • Inspired Communities
  • Gardening Ideas

    Gardening Ideas

    See All Gardening Ideas
    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    Plus a few strategies for keeping them out-of-doors
    • Container Gardening
    • Gardening Flowers
    • Fruit, Vegetable & Herb Gardens
    • Garden Pests
    • Plant Guides A-Z
    • Indoor Plants
    • Fall Plants
    • Landscaping Ideas
    • The Grumpy Gardener
  • News

    News

    See All News
    • Celebrities
    • Local News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Travel
  3. Georgia
  4. 9 Small Towns in Georgia That Go All Out for Christmas

9 Small Towns in Georgia That Go All Out for Christmas

Kaitlyn Yarborough, Assistant Editor and Writer for Southern Living
By Kaitlyn Yarborough
Skip gallery slides
FB
Helen
Credit: SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images
There's nothing like a small town Christmas. The cobblestone streets make gift shopping feel like a holiday adventure, and the twinkling lights make finding the perfect dress for Aunt Ruth's annual party seem trivial. Because, well, it's Christmas—and it's here for a good time, not a long time, and small towns take that to heart. Dress shopping can wait; creating memories can't.These Georgia towns will make you forget all about checking everything off your holiday to-do list. Instead, make the first few weeks of December the best kickoff to Christmas ever. Take a ride on a real-life Christmas train in the mountains, line up to watch a beachy parade comprised of decked-out golf carts, and experience the old-fashioned charm in a deep-south hunting town. These Christmas towns in Georgia have just the right magical touch to get you there. (And they don't even need snow.)  
Start Slideshow

1 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Dahlonega, Georgia

Carriage Ride in Dahlonega, GA
Credit: Robbie Caponetto

In case you missed our ode to Dahlonega's Old-Fashioned Christmas, it's time for a second glance. Catching this place during Christmastime is really something. You'll feel like you're stepping into a snow globe: The North Georgia town is draped in twinkling lights and flush with rambling horse-drawn carriages—and hosts a month-long celebration, featuring everything from a hometown parade to a charming tree lighting. See? Really something.

1 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Thomasville, Georgia

Nan Myers Owner of Firefly
Credit: Robbie Caponetto

Be careful—you might just bring Thomasville’s festive, old-fashioned charm back home for the holidays. Start walking within the quaint eight-block downtown area, and don't stop until you've hit every store and restaurant. They're all worth a visit and absolutely decked out for Christmas. Book a room at The Paxton, where you'll find trees in all the rooms and the common areas dressed up in a classic mix of citrus, greenery, cotton, and feathers.

2 of 9

3 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Helen, Georgia

Helen
Credit: SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images

If you've dreamt of a Bavarian winter wonderland, this North Georgia town will give you a taste. Helen packs a lot of Christmas charm into its tiny square mileage. (2.1 square miles, to be exact.) Think everything from a traditional Christkindlmarkt—a holiday market of sorts—to the annual downtown parade. Because you can't miss Santa on his Bavarian sleigh, now can you?

3 of 9

Advertisement

4 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Pine Mountain, Georgia

christmas georgia callaway fantasy in lights
Credit: Jim Dillard

If you've never heard of Christmas at Callaway, let's talk. Callaway Gardens, which you'll find in the small town of Pine Mountain, hosts what we like to call "the ultimate Christmas extravaganza." Make merry in the Christmas Village, meet holiday characters up close, and ride through the dazzling illuminated forest. You'll instantly fit right in with the rest of the sweater-swathed crowd craning their necks to catch every music-coordinated display.

4 of 9

5 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Santa Claus, Georgia

Santa Claus, Georgia
Credit: @kerrybarr1

Oh, yes, you read that right. This town loves Christmas so much that it's named after jolly 'ole Saint Nick himself. Santa Claus, Georgia, is, by all marks, teeny-tiny with a population hovering below 200. Not to mention, it fancies itself quite clever, with street names like December Drive and Reindeer Street. You'll find Santa's mailbox outside of the Santa Claus Post Office, which is a helpful tip for those traveling with little ones (with important letters to be delivered).

5 of 9

6 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Jekyll Island, Georgia
Credit: Facebook/Jekyll Island

We'll take any excuse to head to the beach, especially when getting to miss the spring and summer crowds. Enjoy the most festive time of year in Jekyll Island’s historic district. With twinkling twilight tours, an ice-skating village, and a beachy Christmas parade lined with decked-out golf carts, this coastal town isn't shy about its love for the holiday season.

6 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Blue Ridge, Georgia

Blue Ridge, Georgia
Credit: Facebook/Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

This mountain getaway has us asking one thing: This isn't where we get on the Polar Express? Because you could've fooled us. Set out on a holiday journey by hopping on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway's Santa Express. Your family will hear a Christmas story, sing Christmas carols, meet Christmas characters, and visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus as they make their way through the train.

7 of 9

8 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

St. Simons Island, Georgia

Christ Church, Frederica on St. Simons Island
Credit: Facebook/Sea Island Resorts

Sometimes even Saint Nick needs a trip to the beach. This Georgia barrier island might seem like a dark horse winner, but it'll instantly get you in the spirit with its canopied oak trees dripping with Spanish moss (and Christmas lights!) and old-school Southern charm. Stay at the King and Prince, where you'll find gingerbread houses on display; and visit historic spots like the stunning Christ Church, Frederica, while it's dressed up for the season, and 90-year-old ritzy resort, The Cloister at Sea Island (where you can catch a "Reindog" Parade featuring pups in their Christmas best and an annual Yule Log Ceremony). But don't leave before indulging in the South’s Best Barbecue Joint, Southern Soul Barbecue.

8 of 9

9 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Moultrie, Georgia

Moultrie, Georgia
Credit: Facebook/City of Moultrie

Off the beaten path, this tiny South Georgia town sits with a quiet charm that perhaps feels the most authentic. Down here, folks are crazy about Christmas and celebrate the only way they know: loud and proud. Walking around the old-timey town square, centered by a courthouse, you'll feel the small-town magic. A canapy of twinkling lights drape from the courthouse out in all directions, and the whole community gets together in the square to watch the annual lighting. (Anyone else getting Stars Hollow vibes?)

9 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Kaitlyn Yarborough

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 9 Dahlonega, Georgia
    2 of 9 Thomasville, Georgia
    3 of 9 Helen, Georgia
    4 of 9 Pine Mountain, Georgia
    5 of 9 Santa Claus, Georgia
    6 of 9 Jekyll Island, Georgia
    7 of 9 Blue Ridge, Georgia
    8 of 9 St. Simons Island, Georgia
    9 of 9 Moultrie, Georgia

    Share & More

    Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print
    Southern Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Southern Living
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    MeredithSouthern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Southern Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    9 Small Towns in Georgia That Go All Out for Christmas
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.