Celebrate Christmas All Year Long in Santa Claus, Indiana

In the spirit of the season, we wanted to share a story we discovered in the New York Times. The real estate market is booming in Santa Claus, Indiana — population 2,670.

For good reason. It’s a town where Christmas is celebrated all year long. Yule-themed businesses abound, from Santa Claus Museum & Village to Santa’s Candy Castle. There’s also the world’s first holiday theme park, full of Christmassy attractions including a wooden roller coaster Time Magazine voted best in the country.  

Even the street names are endearing — think Ornament Circle, Mistletoe Drive, and the main drag, Christmas Boulevard.

And then there’s the small-town appeal. The pandemic caused many urbanites to abandon city life for a more laid-back lifestyle — not to mention, lower housing prices and taxes.

Just ask Santa Claus resident Nancy Schwab. She and husband Robert fell in love with the Hoosier town after visiting on vacation. This past June, the couple moved into their retirement home — a custom-designed three-bedroom ranch in (where else?) Christmas Lake Village.

Not only does the gated community sport a golf course and three lakes (aptly named Holly, Noel, and Christmas) — it’s also home to 90 percent of the town’s residents.

“We looked at other towns near here that had equal value in terms of real estate, but they didn’t have that extra Santa thing. That was the deciding factor,” Ms. Schwab told the Times.

“This is an enchanting, darling place — just Christmas all the time.”

Demand has been high. Only five houses were available in mid-November, according to town treasurer Kelly Greulich.

“The name of the community is what brings a lot of people here, and the feel keeps them here. But it’s not over the top; it’s not gaudy. It’s not like everything is red and white,” she said.

So just what kind of homes are we talking about? Checking realtor.com, we found the priciest property to be $424,900 — a 3,848-square-foot, three-bedroom house set on half an acre. The real draw here is the grounds, complete with Koi pond, fire pit area, and children’s custom playhouse.

Also available in Christmas Lake Village: a 3,962-square-foot custom-built brick home located on tee #18 for $399,900.  And $299,900 will buy a 2,522-square-foot abode with luxury finishes, an open-concept kitchen, a wrap-around porch, and lake views.

Prefer to build your own? A one-acre lot on Mistletoe Drive in the Village will set you back $20,000. Or go big. A 56.46-acre lot on Highway 162 S. Christmas Boulevard can be yours for $846,945.

As for the Schwabs, they recently bought a 600-pound concrete Santa statue—a permanent addition to their front yard.

“Our new neighbors here are saying, ‘Do it early,’” she added. “One of them told me, ‘Nancy, you can leave things up all year.’”