Kick Off The Christmas Season In This Charming Minnesota Small Town

Spending the holidays in a small town has a different, more intimate and convivial feel than you might get in a larger city. If you're looking for that kind of community spirit this holiday season, I recommend kicking off your celebration of Christmas in Park Rapids, Minnesota. The annual Heartland Lakes Community Tree Lighting and Yuletide Sampler is about as charming as a celebration of the holidays can get!

No matter when you visit, you'll find no lack of charm in the town of Park Rapids.

In many ways, the community evokes a warm, old-fashioned feel.

And when winter rolls around in northern Minnesota's Heartland Lakes Region, you're going to want all the warmth you can find.

Not to worry - it's here! And you'll find a lot of it on the day after Thanksgiving when the folks of the region gather in Park Rapids to kick off the holiday season.

Organizers set up firepits along Main Street for hand warming and marshmallow toasting. And businesses open their doors, offering refreshments to revelers.

All gather in anticipation, waiting for the massive evergreen standing in the middle of Main Street to be illuminated.

When it lights up, cheers erupt from the crowd.

Christmas notables lead the community in caroling.

Then the celebrities mingle with the crowd and spread Christmas cheer.

Folks bask in the glow of the dazzling tree...

...that will adorn Main Street for the entire Christmas season - in much the way the warmth of this charming small-town celebration will stay with you throughout the holidays.

And don't forget - Park Rapids is also the gateway community for Itasca State Park, which is home to the Mississippi River's headwaters.

Be sure to make time to visit this special place while you're in the area - the day after Thanksgiving is typically an admission-free day in Minnesota's state parks.

I heartily recommend marking the day after Thanksgiving on your calendar and adding the Heartland Lakes Community Christmas Tree Lighting and Yuletide Sampler to your holiday to-do list. If you don't live in the area, it's definitely a destination worthy of a road trip - just remember to pack for winter, because... well, you know: November in northern Minnesota.

Have you been to Park Rapids' Christmas celebration? Tell us about it in the comments!