In 2005, however, the town changed its name to SecretSanta.com and erected signs promoting the gift exchange website in return for about $20,000. In fact, for those of you who wish to celebrate Christmas all year round, this destination has you covered with year-round Christmas-themed entertainment like the Santa Claus Museum & Village and the Santa Claus Christmas Store, teeming with thousands of unique holiday finds. Christmas Cove is both a body of water and a fishing village within the town of South Bristol populated by fewer than 900 year-round residents. The post office is now the only one bearing the name Santa Claus and gets thousands of letters to Santa each year. The Official Site of Colorado Tourism © 2020 Colorado Tourism Office. Each of these cities, towns and place names has been officially recognized as a populated place by the U.S. government. There are a select few towns scattered across America for which the holiday season never really ends, thanks to names that capture the holiday spirit and an embrace of the season in which most host festivities year-round and up their efforts around December. Silver-mining history and some of the friendliest folks you’ll ever meet are just a few perks of visiting Creede, tucked within a former volcanic caldera among the ragged peaks of the San Juans. Order the hand-cut chicken fried steak, tenderized seven times and breaded to order (Fun fact: They fry up more than 5,000 a year!). BY Shaunacy Ferro. Still, the town embraced the reindeer version, putting images of the famous reindeer on all of its street signs. Stroll: Check out an eclectic mix of wood­work, sculpture, wall art, jewelry and other works at Crestone Artisans Gallery, a testament to Crestone’s reputation as both a spiritual and artistic haven. You can also access the Comanche Grasslands portion of the Colorado Birding Trail, a great place for viewing several species of hawks in winter. Party: Creede Cabin Fever Days in mid-February celebrates the joys of the frosty season with ice sculptures, ice skating, a curling tournament, special art exhibits, live music at different venues, a special winter show at the award-winning Creede Reperatory Theater and more. Flanked by the rugged peaks of the San Juan Mountains and Cimarron Range, Ridgway is a mountain enclave that got its start as an 1800s railroad hub. North American’s highest incorporated city at 10,152 feet, Leadville’s past as a lawless mining boomtown reveals itself in a National Landmark District with more than 70 square blocks lined with Victorian buildings. Today it serves as a historical park and hosts a free "Cracker Christmas" celebration each year featuring pioneer demonstrations and a whole lot of home-cooked barbecue. Some of these winter names, like Neve, Frost, and Snow itself, refer to the season's weather. about Winter Trails in Colorado For All Your Snowy Adventures, about Hot Springs, Family Fun & Adventure in Glenwood Springs, about American Indian History in Southwest Colorado, about Activities in the Royal Gorge Region’s Mild Year-Round Climate, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Winter Vacation Ideas: Colorado’s Western Roots, Check out Colo-Road Trips to discover more far-flung destinations >>. Choose from hundreds of miles of trails that can often be ridden 12 months of the year, includ­ing the famed Kokopelli and 18 Road networks. Composer John Adams owned a cabin near Hallelujah Junction and named a short composition after the community. This unincorporated community in northern Idaho took its name from the nearby Santa Anna Creek. Stroll: More than 200 artists and makers call the area home. This Western Slope town’s arid climate supports milder winter temperatures — mean­ing you can bundle up for mountain biking, hiking and even camping year-round. There's little snow to be seen no matter the time of year in Snowflake, which was actually named for its Mormon founders Erastus Snow and William Jordan Flake. Founded in 1854 as Santa Fe, the name was changed two years later to avoid confusion with another Indiana town of the same name. Though a ghost town today, the town that was Santa Claus still has festive buildings that can be spotted by tourists driving between Phoenix and Las Vegas. The non-festive origin of the town name didn't stop developer M. Penn Phillips from giving the streets names such as Comet Lane and Snowman Road in the 1960s.