Featured Image: Visit Mississippi
Mississippi doesn’t do Christmas halfway. From million-light displays spanning 40 acres to month-long celebrations in river towns that look charming enough for a Hallmark script, the state transforms into a holiday destination that rivals any other in the South.
The only problem is choosing where to go–these towns pull you in with ice-skating rinks, historic mansions decked out in designer trees, and even choose-and-cut tree farms because the state has a surprising evergreen agricultural history that was news to me, a former resident.
While this guide hits all the festive highlights, holiday travel doesn’t end when the presents are opened. Read to the bottom and you’ll find plenty to do through the end of the year, and beyond.
Planning a Mississippi getaway? We’ve broken things down based on interest here.
Real-Life Hallmark Towns
Natchez
Perched on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, Natchez is a postcard personified for the entire month of December. The centerpiece is a 34-foot “forever tree” at Main and Commerce Streets—donated by none other than Taco Bell in 2018. The lighting ceremony takes place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and features pyrotechnics synced to Christmas carols.
Beyond the tree, the month-long Christmas in Natchez celebration takes over Memorial Park with lights, caroling, food trucks, and rides for kids. What sets it apart is the inclusivity—this nonprofit-run event includes dedicated Kwanzaa and Hanukkah displays.
Canton
Canton’s historic square transforms into a Christmas village starting November 28. We’re talking Rudolph’s Playground, an 18-foot walk-through gift box, a three-story Christmas tree, a 16-foot snowman you can walk inside, storytime from Mrs. Claus, an animation museum, firetruck and train rides, Santa’s Cookie Shop, and, believe it or not, the list goes on. The Canton Christmas Festival runs through December 23 with a brief closure in early December.
Oxford
ESPN’s “Best College Town” may rest its helmets, but certainly not its laurels, when the holiday season hits. Holly Jolly Holidays in Oxford kicks off November 22 and includes a 4,000-square-foot ice-skating rink with real ice at mTrade Park. The Lighting of the Square happens November 13 at 6 p.m., wrapping the entire square (the town’s focal point) in a canopy of dazzling lights.
The new Walk of Lights at mTrade Park features custom-designed displays you can stroll through while drinking hot chocolate or roasting marshmallows from the on-site concessions. Oxford also runs a Peppermint Trail—a self-guided tour of local spots serving peppermint everything from coffee to cocktails and sweets. And of course, downtown shops go all out with their holiday decor, so you can cross some folks off your list.
Choose-and-Cut Your Own Tree
Mississippi has a surprisingly robust Christmas tree industry. Did you know that about 95% of the state’s tree production happens on choose-and-cut farms? Virginia pine used to dominate, but Leyland cypress has become the star, along with an increasing number of “living Christmas trees” you can plant in your yard after the ornaments come down.
Merry Christmas Tree Farm in Nesbit bills itself as the number one tree farm in the Mid-South, complete with a hayride into the fields, trees netted at no charge, and a Christmas gift shop for browsing while someone else carries your tree.
Christmas Memories, a tree farm near Magnolia, has been creating family traditions for more than 30 years on gently rolling hills surrounded by natural woods. You’ll navigate aptly-named roads–Jingle Bell Lane, Frosty Lane, and Reindeer Lane–to find your tree among naturally grown Leyland cypress.
Thomley’s in Hattiesburg has been around since 1967 and adds a unique twist—the farm is owned by Jeremy Thomley, a glass-blowing artist who runs Mississippi’s only glassblowing hot shop. Featured on HGTV’s “Hometown,” Thomley’s also has a renovated farmhouse available on Airbnb if you want to stay awhile.
Quintessential Christmas Experiences You Can’t Skip
Merrehope’s Trees of Christmas | Meridian
This 1858 Greek Revival mansion, which once survived Sherman’s Meridian Campaign, now hosts one of Mississippi’s top-rated holiday attractions: Trees of Christmas. From November 24 through December 31, more than 60 elaborately decorated trees fill the 20-room neoclassical mansion, Merrehope. Each year features brand-new designs that draw visitors from around the globe.
Harbor Lights Winter Festival | Gulfport
Mississippi’s largest Christmas light show sprawls across 40 acres of Jones Park with more than 1.5 million lights. Starting in 2015 as a collaboration between Island View Casino & Resort and the City of Gulfport, Harbor Lights has grown into a full festival with carnival rides, a train station, Santa’s Village with working elves, and a “Dancing Trees” show.
50 Nights of Lights | Cleveland
More than one million lights transform the town of Cleveland from November 9 through January 1 in a free display that features musical-themed decorations. The 50 Nights of Lights installation is a tribute to the Grammy Museum located in town, and also features a Candy Land section and train-themed displays for the local Depot and Train Museum. Visitors can opt to walk or drive through town to experience the lights.
Shopping Destinations Worth Clearing Your Calendar
Ridgeland
Ridgeland’s retail trail runs from big-name brands at Renaissance at Colony Park (home to Mississippi’s only Apple store) to the boutiques of Old Town Railroad District. The Bill Waller Craft Center on the Natchez Trace Parkway showcases work from over 400 southeastern craft artists so you can snag a truly unique and meaningful gift–quilts, baskets, metal sculpture, fused glass, jewelry–and every purchase includes the artist’s biography. During the Wrap It In Ridgeland campaign, stop by the Ridgeland Visitors Center when you book a hotel, and they’ll give you a high-quality shopping bag for housing your haul.
Ocean Springs
With more than 100 unique shops, Ocean Springs is the Gulf Coast’s largest shopping destination (and arguably its cutest town). The walkable downtown district features colorful window displays, art galleries with works from local and international artists, and boutiques offering everything from designer footwear to home goods.
Vicksburg
Downtown Vicksburg, named a Great American Main Street Association semifinalist, is a contender for the best and most beautiful shopping option in the entire state. The brick-paved Washington Street is lined with old-fashioned gaslights and packed with boutiques, antique shops, bookstores, and art galleries. If you prefer traditional mall shopping, hit Vicksburg Mall or Vicksburg Commons.
Extend the Merriment: Post-Christmas Party Plans
The Mississippi Gulf Coast | Biloxi
The Mississippi Coast knows how to keep a party going all year long. Biloxi has beachfront access, incredible coastal dining, and massive casinos, making it the ideal destination for revelry. Many of the area casinos and hotels host dedicated New Year’s Eve events, but, honestly, a craft cocktail and penny slots are enough to keep me entertained well past midnight.
Midnight on Front Street | Hattiesburg
Hattiesburg claims Mississippi’s best New Year’s Eve celebration since debuting in 2018. The centerpiece is a replica of the original 1912 Hub sign that drops from a firetruck ladder at midnight. Live music on string-lit streets, food vendors, downtown restaurant specials, fireworks at midnight followed by breakfast sounds like a perfect way to ring in the new year.
Tupelo’s New Year’s Eve Party
Downtown Tupelo goes all out with bands on two stages, KidsFest for families, live music, fireworks, and a midnight countdown from the BNA Bank Fairpark Stage. This year’s lineup includes Even Odds, 8 South Band, DJ Gucci Girl, Joe Austin and The Tallahatchies, and City Mix.
| This article is presented in partnership by Visit Mississippi, a Modern South Founding Partner.
Find more Southern travel inspiration here.
