7 Christmas Towns In New Jersey That Will Fill Your Heart With Holiday Cheer
By Raymond Goldfield|Published November 03, 2023
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Raymond Goldfield
Author
Raymond Goldfield is a life-long New Jersey resident and an avid traveler and foodie who can be usually found on the Jersey Shore during the offseason or checking out the latest seasonal flavors at The Bent Spoon in Princeton. He has been working for Only In Your State for since early 2022, where he writes for New Jersey and Iowa and edits the Mid-Atlantic region. He can also be found writing about pop culture for GeekDad. When at home, he enjoys reading comic books and is part of The Rabbitt Stew podcast team. While New Jersey is his home base, he travels regularly and has visited Virginia, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, and Canada as well as all of NJ's border states. Ultimate travel goal? Visit all the best buffets in the United States.
Ah, November. The Halloween decorations have been put away, I’m already looking forward to turkey and cranberry sauce – but for a lot of people, they’re already gearing up for the next holiday! The Christmas spirit is in full swing, with carols, mall Santas, and twinkling lights soon to be everywhere we look, and that means the best Christmas towns in New Jersey are gearing up for an amazing 2023 season. There are so many amazing places to go for Christmas in New Jersey, whether you’re looking for a laid-back old-fashioned Christmas or a state-of-the-art North Pole extravaganza. We’ve even got a full-on magical Christmas village hiding in the south of the state! So follow us for an epic Christmas road trip to the most magical places in the Garden State!
Clinton is one of the best Christmas towns in New Jersey primarily due to one feature - the historic Red Mill. This stunning building is home to the Festival of Trees during this season - a unique maze of decorated miniature Christmas trees. An annual Christmas parade fills the streets with costumes, floats, and live music, and you can expect to see Santa Claus drop in for a meet-and-greet.
Woodstown is the perfect place if your taste in Christmas revelry trends more towards the peaceful and old-fashioned. The town plays host to Woodstown by Candlelight, a monthlong event that includes special sales at local businesses and a candlelit home tour of some of the area's most gorgeous decked-out holiday homes.
Haddonfield is another town that really goes all out for the season, turning its main street into a twinkling wonderland of lights. That's just the beginning - Haddonfield is known as one of the top holiday shopping destinations thanks to its Candlelight Shopping events. Haddonfield is acclaimed for its many small businesses, and many people love to get all their shopping done in one go.
Cape May is one of the most beautiful towns in all of New Jersey thanks to its collection of Victorian homes. What's more impressive than historic mansions? Historic mansions decked out for the holidays! You can have a great Christmas visit here just walking around the town and seeing the lights, but a visit to the town's famous shopping and dining square is the perfect capper to a winter day in Cape May.
Whippany is home to maybe the most famous holiday experience in all of New Jersey - the Polar Express. Unlike many Christmas trains, this one is actually licensed after the famous book and features many iconic scenes straight from the movie. A kaleidoscope of colors, delicious treats including hot chocolate, and a memorable meeting with Santa Claus awaits kids of all ages as they board this charming experience.
Mount Holly Mount Holly is best known for a massive Christmas tree and an exciting holiday kick-off event, but locals will tell you the best event in the town is definitely the Mount Holly Holiday Home Tour. A limited-time, one-day event that takes you to some of the most beautiful homes in the town, it's a little different every year as the homes and decor are never the same twice.
Historic Smithville isn't just one of the best Christmas towns in New Jersey - it might be one of the most beautiful sights in the whole state. This Christmas village takes the town's historic square and transforms it into a gleaming, colorful winter wonderland. All the stores and restaurants are open with many selling special holiday treats, and attractions like the carousel and miniature train are decked out in their holiday colors. It's a unique holiday experience that can only be had in New Jersey.
Have you visited any of these magical Christmas towns in New Jersey in past years? What are your favorite things to do for Christmas in New Jersey? Tell us your holiday plans in the comments section! We hope you have a great time on your holiday adventures, and make sure to bring a warm winter coat!
If all this merriment puts you in the gift-giving mood, we’ve got a new gift guide to help you find the perfect gift for that traveler in your life.
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