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New York is the No. 1 ‘Grinchiest’ city in the entire U.S.

Apparently, NYC is the city lacking the most holiday spirit!

Shaye Weaver
Written by
Shaye Weaver
Editor, Time Out New York
the grinch
Photograph: Courtesy Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
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Perhaps our hearts are two sizes too small or we’d rather be alone in our respective “caves” during the holiday season because one report has found that NYC is the Grinchiest city in America.

At first glance, it doesn’t make sense. NYC shows up in a big way with gorgeous holiday decorations and windows, stunning light displays, holiday pop-up bars, SantaCon, numerous holiday markets and the best holiday events each year. We even have the most recognizable Christmas tree in the world!

FinanceBuzz apparently looked at data from 50 U.S. cities, including communal celebrations and decorations, holiday shopping, holiday season of giving, holiday cheer, and holiday jeer to come up with data points and scores. They deemed the lowest-scoring cities to be the “Grinchiest.”

NYC had the lowest score at 18.9. The highest score (the least Grinchiest) was Hartford, Connecticut at 74.8.

RECOMMENDED: The best Christmas things to do in NYC

FinanceBuzz Grinchiest US city 2022
Map: courtesy of FinanceBuzz
FinanceBuzz Grinchiest US city 2022
Map: courtesy of FinanceBuzz

“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,” the report states. “Additionally, only 23.3% of New Yorkers volunteer annually—the fourth-lowest percentage in the country.”

Ouch. The holiday season is difficult for a lot of us. Between the weather, the holiday shopping rush and sometimes family drama, it can be hard to handle. That being said, NYC is one of the most diverse cities in the world, meaning not everyone celebrates Christmas or Hannukah. If that’s the case, then it would make sense why there are fewer holiday decoration shops and Christmas tree lots.

But not volunteering and not having a lot of food banks isn’t a good look.

What do you think? Is NYC actually the Grinchiest or have we been slandered in Whoville like the Grinch himself?

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