The nation’s top city for Christmas is right here in North Carolina, report says
North Carolina is home to the nation’s top city for Christmas, a new report finds.
Durham earned a No. 1 spot on a list that weighs charitable donations, Christmas tree availability and other elements that get residents into the holiday spirit, according to results shared Tuesday from WalletHub.
And another North Carolina city wasn’t far behind in the rankings.
Raleigh also placed among the best Christmas locations in the country, scoring a No. 5 spot from WalletHub.
To come up with its findings, the personal finance website says it studied the 100 U.S. cities with the largest populations. Using data from the federal government and other sources, WalletHub scored each city for generosity, traditions, coronavirus safety and “observance” of the holiday.
Durham earned a top score for generosity, a category that measured charitable giving and the presence of food banks.
Among all cities, Durham also tied for having the highest number of Christmas tree vendors per capita, helping it become one of the best places for holiday traditions and food. The category also considered restaurant prices and quality to-go meal options, results show.
But Durham placed lower in other categories, ranking 17th for recent coronavirus infections and deaths. The city also scored average for “observance,” a measure of the portion of churches and residents who identify as Christian.
So how did other North Carolina cities fare?
Behind Durham and Raleigh, WalletHub listed Charlotte at No. 28; Greensboro at No. 36 and Winston-Salem at No. 54.
The results come as health experts urge people to spend this year’s holiday season at home to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. In North Carolina, businesses are adapting to the pandemic by offering drive-through Christmas light shows and holiday food take-out orders, The News & Observer reported.
In WalletHub’s report, other cities rounding out the top five were San Jose, California at No. 2; Honolulu, Hawaii at No. 3; and Oakland, California at No. 4.
This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 10:01 AM.
