12-6-15
By: Joy Purcell
(Photo: White County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau)
(Helen)- Country Living magazine has released its list of America’s 20 Best Small Towns for Christmas and Helen, Georgia is near the top! The Bavarian-themed town in White County placed 6th on the list.
Here’s what Country Living has to say about it:
“You may not expect to find an Alpine village along the banks of Georgia’s Chattahoochee River, but Helen, a former logging town at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, reinvented itself long ago as a Bavarian town. Visitors come to town in December to view the wreaths and artist-decorated holiday trees on auction at the Festival of Trees and to participate in the Kinderfest, the Christkindlmarkt, and tree lighting in tiny downtown Helen.”
Helen is the only Georgia town to make the list. The next closest “best” Christmas locale according to Country Living magazine is Asheville, North Carolina which came in 3rd. Other top 20 Christmas towns in the USA include:
1. Leavenworth, Washington
2. Woodstock, Vermont
3. Asheville, North Carolina
4. Jackson, Wyoming
5. Natchitoches, Louisiana
6. Helen, Georgia
7. Williamsburg, Virginia
8. Durango, Colorado
9. Delray Beach, Florida
10. Annapolis, Maryland
11. Sierra Madre, California
12. Santa Claus, Indiana
13. Taos, New Mexico
14. Oxford, Mississippi
15. Fredericksburg, Texas
16. Red Wing, Minnesota
17. Ogunquit, Maine
18. Corning, New York
19. Prescott, Arizona
20. Dyker Heights, Brooklyn
The magazine doesn’t list the criteria used to determine the list but it does say, “These great American towns sure can light up, sing out, and celebrate the Christmas season right. We recommend adding these festive small towns to your holiday travel bucket list, stat!”
Helen is nice, but I can’t believe Dahlonega, GA didn’t make the list. It’s magical at Christmas time.