San Antonio's unending love for the winter holidays is shining bright this year, as the city was just declared the No. 10 most festive city in America for 2024.
Home services provider Thumbtack revealed its annual list of the most festive cities in the nation, compiling data from millions of holiday light installation requests across all 50 states between October 2023 and October 2024.
San Antonio previously held the coveted No. 5 spot in 2023 before slipping five places in the newest report. The city previously ranked No. 10 in 2022.
San Antonians have plenty of light displays and events across the city to pull inspiration from for their own homes, including the San Antonio Botanical Garden's winter lantern show, the Light Park in Selma, and many more.
Texas cities are far merrier than many other places in the country, with Austin leading the nation as the No.1 most festive city for the third year in a row. Dallas and Houston ranked No. 2 and No. 4, respectively.
San Antonians will have to get creative when it comes to their holiday decorating, as the weather doesn't always cooperate with the classic "White Christmas" theme. But that's to be expected from one of the top five best warm-weather travel destinations nationwide.
"In the milder climates, you probably won’t find a winter wonderland, but you might see plenty of twinkling lights, tinsel, and bold colors outside the traditional red, green, and white palette," the report's author wrote. "Neon baubles, vintage plastic Santa molds, and playful LED lights keep properties festive and bright. Native eucalyptus, olive branches, and succulents are used as greenery in place of traditional pine and fir."
Outsourcing that outdoor holiday decorating will cost a pretty penny, according to Thumbtack's analysts. The study said the average cost to hire a holiday lighting specialist can range from $168-300, depending on the scope of the project and home size. Thumbtack also recommends San Antonians avoid hiring a lighting specialist during Thanksgiving weekend, which is the time period that sees the highest demand.
Thumbtack's top 10 most festive U.S. cities in 2024 are:
- No. 1 – Austin, Texas
- No. 2 – Dallas, Texas
- No. 3 – Seattle, Washington
- No. 4 – Houston, Texas
- No. 5 – San Francisco, California
- No. 6 – Atlanta, Georgia
- No. 7 – Sacramento, California
- No. 8 – Charlotte, North Carolina
- No. 9 – Raleigh, North Carolina
- No. 10 – San Antonio, Texas
