A Florida Beach Town Made The List For Most Magical Christmas Towns in the U.S.

So, you think you need snow for a true Christmas experience? Think again. This Florida beach town does Christmas BIG. 100 foot big. And in a new ranking by Country Living for "The 30 Most Magical Christmas Towns in the U.S.", it's the only place in Florida that made the list.

Make no mistake, the list is dominated by northern towns with cold weather and snow. Places like Middleburg, Virginia with it's parade and year round holiday shop. Or Woodstock, Vermont. A town that looks straight off a old time Christmas card. Stockbridge, Massachusetts actually recreates a Norman Rockwell painting from 1967, "Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas (Home for Christmas)" during their annual festival.

But Florida can Christmas, too. Here in Southwest Florida, the Naples Christmas Parade is always an amazing experience. This year's parade is December 5th at 6:30 pm. A night time Christmas parade in Naples, Florida with all the colorful lights you can imagine.

Coming up on November 28th, the town of Delray Beach has it's 100 Foot Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration and Yuletide Street Fair.

The 100 foot tree is actually made of aluminum, and you can go inside! They started this tradition back in 1993, and it takes a full month to assemble. In addition, the tree and each of the six houses in the village are decorated with the most festive details with "18,000 ornaments, and 217,980 individual LED lights."

However, it's not just the tree that makes this event a worthwhile destination. There's a Holiday Carousel, Ice Skating, and photos with Santa. There's food trucks on Swinton Ave. Check out over 60 vendors down Atlantic Avenue and Pineapple Grove. Plus 3 entertainment stages.

So yes, even without the snow and the cold - Florida can do Christmas, too. :)

Christmas is a time to visit family and friends and get away from the daily grind. The holidays can be a wonderful time, but they can also be very expensive. From buying lots of Christmas gifts for family and friends to having to pay for plane tickets and travel, holiday expenses can really add up. But, the good news is that there are some affordable holiday vacations, and Florida has one of America's cheapest Christmas vacations.

One good thing about traveling during the winter months is that it's often the off-season for popular vacation destinations. Of course, the holidays are a busy travel time. That makes late December a difficult time to find a deal for travel. But, if you don't mind the cold and snow, some northern areas of the U.S. offer very good deals. That's true even during the Christmas season.

Some tips for finding a good deal for holiday vacationing include searching a lot of booking websites, comparing different hotel dates to find the most reasonable ones and finding bundle deals. Also, keep your eyes open for special deals on resorts and hotels that are just opening. That's because sometimes, during those opening months, new vacation spots try to attract a loyal clientele by offering special deals. One more tip is to search for airfare rates individually even if you are traveling as a couple or a group. If you put in a search for a group of tickets, the algorithms will often leave out information on one or two cheaper tickets being available. They'll just send you a group of tickets, sitting together, all at the same price. So, you might get a deal if you search for one ticket, instead.

So, what are the best affordable Christmas vacations in the U.S.? Here are some popular spots that won't break the bank.

Frankenmuth, Michigan, is the self-proclaimed Christmas capital city of the world. Okay, so many argue that Strasbourg, France, takes that honor, but Frankenmuth is close, and it's a lot cheaper to get there. No passport needed. The villiage's Franconian-style architecture has given it the loving name "Little Bavaria." Frankenmuth is also home to the world's biggest Christmas store.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is located in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and it offers a beautiful view of snowy hills and Amish country. It's a very old-fashioned type of town, making it a charming winter getaway. There are plenty of fun, holiday-type things to do in Lancaster that won't break the bank.

You might never guess, but Las Vegas, Nevada, is a great spot for an affordable holiday trip. Think about it. Most people wouldn't think to go to "Sin City" for Christmas. Of course, it's much less the "sin" part these days, as Las Vegas offers fun activities for the whole family.

Charlotte, North Carolina, is a great spot to visit in the holiday season, because it's not as crowded as other times during the year. It's also less expensive to visit during the holidays and offers beautiful decorations during Christmas. Don't forget the many holiday markets.

Fort Myers, Florida, is a popular destination for snow birds. But, that's doesn't mean to skip it during the holidays. If you want to get away from the snow and ice, Fort Myers offers a great escape over Christmas and for prices that are more reasonable than in many other areas of Florida.

Boston, Massachusetts, gets cold in the winter, but it also has that classic Christmas charm. It's a big city with a smaller city feel during the holidays. What's more, it's a more affordable winter vacation destination than many other areas, and you won't have the fight the crowds.