- The Forbes list proves that snow and icicles are not a requirement to be a top holiday town.
OK, admit it. We are suckers for those Hallmark Christmas movies. It’s not just the stories and the characters we love, it’s the festive small towns that lure us in. Who doesn’t fantasize about walking the snow-dusted sidewalks of a small town decorated to the nines for the holidays? I dream of a bustling downtown where folks know one another and come together for holiday activities.
Lucky for me, and for those who live in Mississippi, two of our state’s cities have been selected by Forbes magazine as top small holiday towns.
Roger Sands has been writing for Forbes for seven years, covering luxury travel, culinary trends and hospitality design. In a recent article for the magazine, Sands explores what makes the holiday season in a small town so desirable. One is that most roll out the welcome mat to visitors, inviting them to enjoy Christmas’s festive celebrations and magic. With their dazzling light displays, holiday entertainment, and street markets offering an array of homemade crafts and foods, eight small towns around the country were singled out as the ones that do the holidays right. Two of those towns were right here in Mississippi.
Before we get to Mississippi’s two “best” cities, it may be interesting to see the other cities selected. The list begins with two cities in New Jersey – Augusta, and Cape May – followed by Bristol, Rhode Island. Moving west, Cheyenne, Wyoming was on the list. Two Southern cities – Newnan, Georgia, and Sylva, North Carolina – were selected.
The final two of the eight cities selected were in Mississippi, which shows that snow and icicles are not a requirement to be a top holiday town. Both are worth a weekend trip during the holidays if you want to enjoy true small-town holiday magic.
The first Mississippi town on the list is Hattiesburg, and for good reason. Hattiesburg has become a place known for its strong public art scene. As a matter of fact, culture, art, and food blend seamlessly with the city’s history in a way that is both quirky and creative.
With fifty murals painted on buildings and walls around town, it creates the perfect backdrop for holiday memories. The annual Victorian Candlelit Christmas in Hattiesburg’s historic “avenues” highlights the Victorian architecture of many of the old homes there. This year the event will be held December 14 and 15, beginning at dusk each day. Over 18,000 flickering luminaries will line Hattiesburg’s historic sidewalks and into the downtown district. More than 300 homes and businesses will be decorated with garlands, bows, and twinkling lights.
Next, there’s Oxford. There’s a reason the north Mississippi city looks like a Hallmark movie. The picturesque downtown square was actually the setting for the 2020 film On the 12th Date of Christmas. The town was also a destination for the Fox Business Network’s Small Town Christmas series last year.
Events like the Holly Jolly Holidays help create the kind of holiday cheer that makes the city stand out. This is the fifth year of the event which transforms the town into a winter wonderland through January 5.
Oxford’s Walk of Lights is a dazzling custom-designed display that honors Oxford’s history. The Oxford on Ice skating rink is open daily at the mTrade Park, and of course, there are visits with Santa. And the magic continues along Oxford’s Peppermint Trail, where local businesses offer visitors treats, gifts, and perhaps even a cup of holiday cheer.
Susan Marquez
