Best towns to celebrate Christmas

Metro Atlanta is filled with holiday cheer — everything from parades to lights to festive fare. However, if you’re looking for a change of holiday scenery, you need not look further than Helen.

Country Living ranked its favorite small towns for Christmas in 2016, and the Bavarian town just two hours north of Atlanta came in at No. 6.

Here's what the publication had to say about the city:

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.

America's 16 best small towns for Christmas (2016)

16. Dyker Heights, New York

15. Prescott, Arizona

14. Oxford, Missisippi

13. Taos, New Mexico

12. Santa Claus, Indiana

11. Sierra Madre, California

10. Annapolis, Maryland

9. Delray Beach, Florida

8. Durango, Colorado

7. Williamsburg, Virginia

6. Helen, Georgia

5. Natchitoches, Louisiana

4. Jackson, Wyoming

3. Asheville, North Carolina

2. Woodstock, Vermont

1. Leavenworth, Washington

ExploreCheck here for the entire list.

Thinking of making a trip to Helen?

Here are some things to do once you get there:

ExploreDiscover Helen, North Georgia's Alpine gem

How to spend 48 hours in Helen with kids

ExploreVisit this waterfall in Helen, one of the 40 must-see in Georgia

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