For many people, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. But in some states, the Christmas spirit is decidedly lower than others.
The online language learning platform, Preply, recently released their 2024 Christmas Spirit Index. The report ranked all 50 states based on the frequency with which residents searched for 12 festive keywords, divided by the population of the states. The findings revealed that the most and least festive states were distributed throughout the country – with the three most Christmas-y each located in a different region.
Even as Americans become both increasingly more diverse and less religious, Christmas remains a popular holiday. Nine out of 10 Americans celebrate Christmas with almost half viewing it primarily as a cultural holiday, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center survey.
In a 2019 AP-NORC survey, ninety-four percent of Americans say the winter holidays make them feel grateful, while 80% describe their emotions as “festive.” At the same time, however, many people described unpleasant feelings associated with December. Forty-four percent of Americans said the holiday season was a “sad” time of year and 41% said they felt “lonely.”
Experts recommend mitigating the negative emotions associated with the holiday season by making a point to connect with others – whether they be friends, family, or complete strangers, who are in need.
“Call someone you know who has no family, write a letter to your recently widowed family friend, or reach out to someone who’s recently gotten divorced or lost their job,” holistic wellness coach, Kama Hagar, told Real Simple. “The holidays are super hard on everyone, especially those in lonely or insecure situations. Make it a weekly practice to reach out to call or FaceTime to bring others some holiday spirit.”
Continue reading to learn which states have the most and least Christmas spirit, according to Preply.
