Christmas Towns At the Jersey Shore

So, Christmas is right around the corner and it's time to get that warm holiday feeling here at the Jersey Shore. It's a feeling we've never needed more, and we are all ready for it. A recent report listed Cape May as one of the top 25 Christmas towns in the whole country, but we wanted to get a little more focused on Monmouth & Ocean Counties.

And while we didn't do a scientific study, we did ask around, and there were three towns we heard mentioned more than any others. And while we're not ready to have an awards ceremony yet, and there's still plenty of time for you to tell us your favorite Christmas town, we do want to show some love for those three towns whose names we kept hearing.

So, here they are. Three of your favorite Monmouth & Ocean County Christmas towns...

Ocean Grove (Bud McCormick)

Ocean Grove. You've got the history, you have the boardwalk and the Great Auditorium, and you have all those adorable homes and buildings. Put all that charm together and throw in the gentle twinkle of Christmas lights and events, and you have a scene from a Christmas movie. And check out the big Christmas event planned in Ocean Grove for December 4th!

Downtown Red Bank (Google Maps Street View)

Red Bank. When you think of the gorgeous downtown Red Bank area throughout the year, you can't help but know what a spectacle this great town must be during the holidays. And for the thousands of us who've seen it, you know that's exactly right. And this year, you can enjoy two great holiday events in Red Bank, including the Window Wonderland, and the Holiday Scavenger Hunt.

Google Maps

Spring Lake. This is pretty much a no-brainer, right. You can find pictures of Spring Lake in the dictionary next to the definitions for charming, quaint, beautiful, and picturesque. So it stands to reason that Spring Lake would make the perfect Christmas town, and it does. A walk through Spring Lake is like a literal walk through Christmas, and you can visit the Spring Lake website for great events and shows for the holiday season.

These are the towns getting the most buzz now, but please feel free to add your favorite local Christmas town to the list by entering the town name in the Comment section. We'll show them some holiday love, too.

From Great Christmas Towns To the 25 Best Places To Live in New Jersey

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in New Jersey using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.