Welcome to Christmas, Florida Sign. Courtesy: Florida Backroads Travel
As we turn into the final stretch of 2020, Christmas is in sight, and holiday carols are being sung. In the spirit of the holiday season, our Florida spotlight is on two small census-designated towns in Central Florida.
Christmas and Celebration, Florida. Located in Orange and Osceola County, respectively, sit in the general vicinity of Orlando, and boast some of the coolest holiday-themed monikers in the U.S.
With an estimated 1,100 current residents, Christmas has quite the history. Named in honor of the day, 2,000 U.S. Army soldiers arrived in the area and began building Fort Christmas during the Second Seminole War in 1837. Visitors come to Christmas specifically to send postcards with the greetings from “Christmas, Florida” stamp to send to family and friends.
A dressed-up Santa occasionally occupies the post office and hand stamps Christmas cards and packages to the “North Pole.”
Christmas Fast Facts:
- Christmas’ first post office was established in 1892
- Has several holiday-themed road and street names such as: Rudolph and Dasher Street, Cupid, Blitzen, and St. Nicholas Avenue.
- Site of the World’s Longest Alligator (200 foot long building shaped like a gator, named Swampy)
- Will send letters to the North Pole for Santa with the name Christmas
Meanwhile, Celebration has roughly 10,000 residents and 4,300 homes, according to the town’s site, and was founded by the Walt Disney Company in 1996.
Celebration Fast Facts:
- Was named one of America’s top 10 prettiest towns according to VisitFlorida
- Hosts annual Now Snowing event, (the closest thing Florida gets to a white Christmas)
- Is connected to Walt Disney World resorts via World Drive, a primary street
While neither of the two cities is a mecca for holiday cheer, they both have ties to the popular holiday via their name and have visitors from all over coming to visit them because of their location within the state. If you’re interested in sending Santa a card from Christmas or celebrating in Celebration, these are two spots to consider visiting or passing through for the holidays.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
