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Christmas is a magical time, with streets aglow in twinkling lights, bustling shoppers darting between stores, and the iconic presence of a beautifully adorned tree in every town square. This festive atmosphere brings joy and excitement to cities nationwide.
However, determining the best city in the U.S. for holiday celebrations can be challenging. With traditions varying widely and costs adding up, finding a spot that captures the true spirit of the season without breaking the bank is key.
WalletHub set out to solve this dilemma by analyzing the 100 largest U.S. cities. They considered factors like holiday traditions, shopping opportunities, and overall affordability, assigning each city a score out of 100 to crown the ultimate Christmas city.
Atlanta clinched the top spot with an impressive score of 63.36, earning high marks for its abundance of bakeries, holiday decoration stores, and card shops per capita.
Close behind was San Francisco, scoring 61.37. The city boasts the highest number of card shops, ranks third for gift shops, and holds the fourth spot for shopping centers per capita, making it a festive haven for holiday enthusiasts.
Other cities that ranked at the top were Seattle (61.28), Orlando (61.19), and Las Vegas (61.02).
Check out the top 25 best cities for celebrating Christmas and some of their rankings, according to WalletHub, right here.
| Overall Rank | City | Total Score | Traditions & Fun Rank | Observance Rank | Generosity Rank | Shopping Rank | Costs Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta, GA | 63.36 | 8 | 30 | 16 | 6 | 39 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | 61.37 | 3 | 68 | 2 | 7 | 94 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | 61.28 | 10 | 84 | 1 | 13 | 68 |
| 4 | Orlando, FL | 61.19 | 6 | 12 | 72 | 2 | 77 |
| 5 | Las Vegas, NV | 61.02 | 5 | 44 | 45 | 1 | 52 |
| 6 | St. Louis, MO | 60.30 | 21 | 6 | 47 | 16 | 12 |
| 7 | Miami, FL | 59.94 | 4 | 29 | 85 | 4 | 41 |
| 8 | Pittsburgh, PA | 58.64 | 27 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 80 |
| 9 | New Orleans, LA | 57.07 | 14 | 4 | 56 | 28 | 72 |
| 10 | Cincinnati, OH | 56.96 | 22 | 15 | 54 | 17 | 31 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | 56.84 | 2 | 95 | 18 | 14 | 60 |
| 12 | Birmingham, AL | 56.54 | 54 | 1 | 61 | 35 | 6 |
| 13 | Honolulu, HI | 55.36 | 16 | 24 | 12 | 8 | 99 |
| 14 | New York, NY | 55.12 | 1 | 98 | 4 | 3 | 100 |
| 15 | Portland, OR | 55.09 | 18 | 74 | 19 | 11 | 38 |
| 16 | Los Angeles, CA | 54.82 | 7 | 96 | 14 | 5 | 86 |
| 17 | San Diego, CA | 53.22 | 9 | 89 | 24 | 10 | 88 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | 52.95 | 11 | 75 | 33 | 21 | 83 |
| 19 | Minneapolis, MN | 52.50 | 24 | 21 | 29 | 44 | 58 |
| 20 | Wichita, KS | 52.29 | 75 | 7 | 73 | 61 | 1 |
| 21 | Phoenix, AZ | 52.15 | 13 | 88 | 20 | 12 | 82 |
| 22 | Tampa, FL | 52.10 | 25 | 16 | 31 | 26 | 90 |
| 23 | Washington, DC | 51.83 | 12 | 50 | 5 | 52 | 97 |
| 24 | St. Paul, MN | 51.74 | 47 | 8 | 32 | 39 | 50 |
| 25 | Austin, TX |
51.67 | 19 | 77 | 53 | 20 | 40 |
To see the full study and where your city might rank for holiday fun, check out WalletHub’s full study on their website.
