FinanceBuzz took a look at data from 50 of the biggest cities in the U.S. to determine which ones have the least holiday cheer, and in results that we definitely do not agree with, NYC ranked in as the number 1 ‘Grinchiest’ city.
Between frigid temps, short days, and the stress of holiday shopping, there are tons of factors that can make someone a bit Grinchy this time of year, and FinanceBuzz looked at more than a dozen of these factors to determine how they play into one’s holiday cheer.
Communal celebrations and decorations, holiday shopping, holiday season of giving, holiday cheer, and holiday jeer were all considered and broken down into more specific metrics. For example, when considering holiday shopping, FinanceBuzz looked at:
- The number of holiday markets per 100,000 people
- The number of toy stores per 100,000 people
- The number of gift shops per 100,000 people
- The number of department stores per 100,000 people
- The number of shopping centers and malls per 100,000 people
Each data point was given a number on a 0-to-5 scale, which were then added to create a score out of 20 for each category. Each category score was then added to give each city an overall score on a 0-to-100 scale.
The lowest-scoring cities were deemed the “Grinchiest,” and NYC scored the lowest with an overall rating of 18.9.
New York City takes the roast beast as the Grinchiest city in America thanks to having the nation’s lowest rates of holiday decoration shops (0.6), Christmas tree lots (0.3), gift shops (9.9), and food banks (0.1) per 100,000 people. Additionally, only 23.3% of New Yorkers volunteer annually — the fourth-lowest percentage in the country.
While by their standards we may be considered the Grinchiest city, a closer look at the results makes us believe otherwise.
Sure, we may have a low number of holiday decoration shops, but there are still many spots around NYC that know how to deck the halls and go all out with their holiday decor. Plus, you can’t deny the city has a seemingly endless amount of dazzling window displays and holiday light displays.
And while we may not have the most Christmas tree lots, it’s definitely not impossible to find a Christmas tree for your apartment, and if you don’t get one for yourself there’s no shortage of gorgeous Christmas trees around the city to visit and be dazzled by.
And, lastly, who needs a gift shop when you have tons of festive holiday markets around the city to browse and get your holiday shopping done at?
So, while FinanceBuzz may say we’re the Grinchiest city in the U.S., no one can deny that NYC is an iconic holiday destination, and we’re hoping all the Cindy Lou Who’s can see us for who we truly are just as she did with the Grinch himself!
Head to FinanceBuzz’s website to see the full study.