After two years of postponing holiday travel plans due to the pandemic, Americans are ready to hit the road this Christmas season. AAA estimates that 112.7 million travelers will venture 50 miles or more away from their homes between December 23 to January 2. Of that number, 101.8 million will journey by car, with another 7.17 million taking to the air. About 3.6 million will hop on other modes of transportation, such as train, bus, or cruise ship. (Traveling by air? Avoid the worst airports in America for customer satisfaction.)
Of course, they’ll have to brave the hellish weather predicted to blanket most of the country. But once they safely reach their destination, they can expect to enjoy the holidays with friends and family once again. And if they’re venturing to certain states, their Christmas may be just a bit more Christmas-y than in other places. (Wherever you venture, though, remember these 20 rules to make holiday travel safer.)
To compile a list of the 10 most Christmas-y states in the U.S., 24/7 Tempo reviewed a new report by The Family Vacation Guide, a family vacation resource, which looked into factors such as average annual snowfall, “Christmas” posts on Instagram between November 2021 and October 2022, number of skating rinks, and number of festive events (excluding European-style Christmas markets) in order to rank the most festive places to visit during the holidays.
What makes one state more festive than another? Even though the states were ranked on a variety of factors, the most prominent feature is snow, and a lot of it. If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, you can find it in these states.
Four of the 10 are in New England and are typically snow-covered in the winter months. The top spot was taken by Maine, which gets an annual average snowfall of 62 inches. No. 2 Vermont beat that number by nearly 20 inches.
Western and Midwestern states are also represented. With an average snowfall each year of 75 inches, Alaska grabbed the third spot. Wisconsin sees an average of 51 inches annually, vaulting it to the fourth slot. Want more snow than that? Check out the 25 worst blizzards of all time.
Click here for the 10 states with the most Christmas spirit
10. Wyoming
> “Christmas” Instagram posts: 601
> Average annual snowfall: 37 days and 91 inches
> Festive events: 2 per 100,000 people (total: 10)
> Skating rinks: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 8)
> Population: 579,495
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9. New Hampshire
> “Christmas” Instagram posts: 550
> Average annual snowfall: 30 days and 61 inches
> Festive events: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 11)
> Skating rinks: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 13)
> Population: 1,389,741
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8. Michigan
> “Christmas” Instagram posts: 3,941
> Average annual snowfall: 45 days and 51 inches
> Festive events: 0.19 per 100,000 people (total: 19)
> Skating rinks: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 92)
> Population: 10,116,069
7. Minnesota
> “Christmas” Instagram posts: 1,621
> Average annual snowfall: 37 days and 54 inches
> Festive events: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 32)
> Skating rinks: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 47)
> Population: 5,787,008
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6. Connecticut
> “Christmas” Instagram posts: 14,216
> Average annual snowfall: 20 days and 41 inches
> Festive events: 0.28 per 100,000 people (total: 10)
> Skating rinks: 0.42 per 100,000 people (total: 15)
> Population: 3,612,314
5. Utah
> “Christmas” Instagram posts: 4,060
> Average annual snowfall: 35 days and 56 inches
> Festive events: 0.42 per 100,000 people (total: 14)
> Skating rinks: 0.33 per 100,000 people (total: 11)
> Population: 3,373,162
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4. Wisconsin
> “Christmas” Instagram posts: 3,051
> Average annual snowfall: 39 days and 51 inches
> Festive events: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 36)
> Skating rinks: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 64)
> Population: 5,935,064
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3. Alaska
> “Christmas” Instagram posts: 2,049
> Average annual snowfall: 48 days and 75 inches
> Festive events: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 11)
> Skating rinks: 2 per 100,000 people (total: 14)
> Population: 738,023
2. Vermont
> “Christmas” Instagram posts: 5,072
> Average annual snowfall: 54 days and 81 inches
> Festive events: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 06)
> Skating rinks: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 5)
> Population: 646,545
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1. Maine
> “Christmas” Instagram posts: 8,335
> Average annual snowfall: 28 days and 62 inches
> Festive events: 2 per 100,000 people (total: 23)
> Skating rinks: 1 per 100,000 people (total: 10)
> Population: 1,369,159
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