If your holiday travel typically centers around crowded airports and grumpy travelers, know that there are other more relaxed ways of spending your time this December. How about a little home-spun, small town Christmas charm? From the world’s largest Christmas store to hundreds of thousands of lights adorning an entire community, some towns in the U.S. truly pack in the festive punch for the holidays. When you need a little holiday spirit, head to one of these Christmas towns all across the country.

Frankenmuth, Michigan

“Bronner’s Christmas store, Frankenmuth” by Paul Wilkinson is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.

Settled by German immigrants, Frankenmuth has a decidedly European feel. Known as Michigan’s Little Bavaria, the town turns up the volume for the holidays. You can first explore Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas store. Measuring roughly the size of one-and-a-half football fields, the store uses 50,000 lights just to illuminate its Christmas lane.

After a visit to Bronner’s, you can explore the Old Christmas Station, a restaurant with a museum dedicated to antique ornaments. The town’s farmer’s market even transforms for the holidays into a traditional Christkindlmarkt that sells fresh chestnuts, handmade garlands, and apple cider. Other holiday-themed activities include dining with Mr. and Mrs. Claus at the 160-year-old Zehnder’s Restaurant along with a holiday home tour.

Santa Claus, Indiana

In Santa Claus, Indiana, it’s technically Christmas year-round! However, for the holiday season, the town named for old St. Nick relishes in its namesake. Since this festive town is home to the only post office in the world with Santa’s name, its postal outlet receives more than 13,000 letters each year addressed to none other than Mr. Claus himself. If you send a letter to this Santa Claus, you’ll receive a response from volunteers known as Santa’s Elves.

The town boasts the Santa Claus Museum and Village, featuring original town buildings from 1856. You can also bask in the glory of the town’s 1935 Santa Claus statue measuring 22 feet tall. The town hosts its Christmas celebration each year during the first three weekends of December. Festivities include a themed parade, candy castle, meet and greet with Santa, roasted chestnuts, and a 1.2-mile “Land of Lights.”

McAdenville, North Carolina

Just west of Charlotte, McAdenville is a quaint town in Gaston County. During the holiday season, McAdenville becomes “Christmas Town USA” and seemingly lights up the entire state with its displays. Every year since 1956, the town has been decorated with 450,000 lights. A route is set up along the 1.3-mile long display so you can enjoy the illumination in all its glory. The lights glow nightly from December 1st to the 26the. Over 375 trees are also lit up and 200 wreaths adorn the town’s streets. McAdenville also hosts other events for the season like the Annual Christmas Town Festival.

Seneca Falls, New York

Fans of the holiday movie classic It’s a Wonderful Life will want to scratch “Visit Seneca Falls, New York” off their bucket list. Right in the heart of the Finger Lakes region, this Christmas town is widely believed to be the inspiration for Bedford Falls in Frank Capra’s famous movie.

Throughout the month of December, the town celebrates its connection to the film with the It’s a Wonderful Life Festival. Festivities include a ride on the Bedford Falls Express complete with carols, snacks, and drinks, while shops and restaurants serve up It’s a Wonderful Life fare. There are even replica Christmas light decorations all over town to make it look like the imaginary Bedford Falls.

While there’s no place like home for the holidays, these small towns across the U.S. might just lure you away for a visit come December.

Know of any other small towns that embrace Christmas? Let us know in the comments below!