San Antonio tops list of ‘grinchiest’ U.S. cities

Despite its abundance of Christmas lights, parades and holiday markets, San Antonio ranks as one of the “Grinchiest” U.S. cities, if one recent study is to be believed.

Online gambling education website Casino.org surveyed 3,000 people across the U.S., asking them how they felt about participating in holiday-related activities, including caroling, tree decorating and stringing up lights.

Many Alamo City residents said “Humbug!” to all of the above, according to the study. Indeed, just 30% said they feel “festive” during the holidays, and nearly a quarter said they don’t buy gifts for others.

That landed San Antonio the distinction of being the report’s “Grinchiest” city, followed by Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Salt Lake City, Utah, respectively.

“Texas might be full of Christmas cowboys, but not when it comes to San Antonio,” the study’s authors said.

Of course, the question remains how much of San Antonio’s reported lack of cheer comes down to residents’ lack of resources. The Alamo City ranks as the third-poorest among the nation’s 10 most populous cities, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

When you can’t afford gifts, it’s hard to be excited about the giving season. It’s also hard to feel “festive” when you’re barely able to make ends meet.

Case in point: a similar study from online finance blog Finance Buzz ranked San Antonio as the No. 3 “Grinchiest” city. However, that analysis relied heavily on stats related to gift giving and charitable donations — activities beyond the financial means of many San Antonians.

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This article appears in Nov 29 – Dec 12, 2023.