Happy holidays
San Antonio lands on the nice list of best cities for celebrating Christmas in 2023
No matter how much residents in San Antonio spend on their gifts, the spirit of Christmas lies not in presents under the tree but in spending quality time with loved ones. San Antonians won't have to travel far to experience the best Christmas in Texas this year either – the Alamo City landed at No. 17 in a new national list of the best cities for celebrating Christmas in 2023.
The report by WalletHub ranked the 100 most populous cities across five categories: Christmas traditions, holiday observance, generosity, shopping, and costs.
San Antonio was the highest-ranked Texas city thanks to its heap of holiday happenings. From local restaurants putting their all into creating the most festive holiday dinners, to a local university's famous annual Christmas traditions, there's plenty to enjoy around the city.
Towns in the surrounding Hill Country area, including New Braunfels, have also transformed into delightful winter wonderlands for the holiday season, and they're fun, festive escapes for city slickers this time of year.
Despite inflation woes, San Antonio households have slightly bigger holiday budgets this year ($844) than they did in 2022 ($803), according to another WalletHub study.
"Inflation is weighing heavily on consumers’ minds as well as their budgets this holiday season, but it doesn’t have to spoil the occasion," said WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe. "Whether you find yourself in what amounts to a humble modern-day manger or one of the best cities for budget-friendly Christmas celebrations, the most important thing is to spend quality time with loved ones and create lasting memories. By doing so, you can find joy and inspiration in the true spirit of the season."
Other Texas cities that earned spots in the top 50 include Austin (No. 31), Dallas (No. 34), Houston (No. 36), and Fort Worth (No. 50).
The top 10 best places to experience Christmas are:
- No. 1 – Atlanta, Georgia
- No. 2 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- No. 3 – Orlando, Florida
- No. 4 – Las Vegas, Nevada
- No. 5 – San Francisco, California
- No. 6 – St. Louis, Missouri
- No. 7 – Seattle, Washington
- No. 8 – Chicago, Illinois
- No. 9 – Miami, Florida
- No. 10 – Birmingham, Alabama