The nation’s top city for holiday lovers is in NC, according to realty group

North Carolina has some wonderland-like destinations at high elevations, but one less lofty city has been named the best in the nation for people who love the holidays.

Many people think of furniture and fiber optics when they think of Hickory but the folks at realtor.com saw something else in the Western North Carolina city, naming it No. 1 on its list “Top Tinsel Towns: 10 Surprising Cities Whose Holiday Charms Are Worth Unwrapping.”

The people behind the ranking looked for ideal places for people who truly go gung-ho for the holidays.

The ranking considered holiday-related Google searches, seasonal cashiers hired, percentage of homes with fireplaces, Christmas tree and decoration per capita, toys stores per capita, alcohol consumption rates by state (an apparent party measuring stick), the number of Christmas trees cut down per state, and flight arrivals from Dec. 19-23 (indicator of people going home for the holidays).

Hickory’s holiday highlight is its proximity to the nation’s finest Christmas tree farms, the report said.

“This place takes its Yuletide festivities seriously,” the breakdown said. “Every year, an 18-foot tree ... is cut down and erected in the city square, where it’s generously decorated. The lighting takes place the week before Thanksgiving – and thousands of community members come out to watch it, and the parade beforehand. It’s a big deal.”

Hickory spokeswoman Dana Kaminske explained to realtor.com that Santa and Mrs. Claus light the tree as the parade ends in downtown.

“We have hot chocolate and cookies,” Kaminske told realtor.com. “And the downtown retailers stay open. All the money raised from the professional floats goes into a scholarship fund.”

Other cities named to the list, in order, are Eugene, Ore.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Pittsburgh; Sarasota, Fla.; Hartford, Conn.; Providence, R.I.; Salisbury, Md.; St. Louis; and Lafayette, La.

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 1:43 PM with the headline "The nation’s top city for holiday lovers is in NC, according to realty group."