Here’s What Every State Thinks Is the Best Christmas Movie

Christmas movies are one of the few things everyone feels oddly passionate about — people will defend their favorites with the same energy they reserve for sports rivalries. And it turns out those loyalties vary wildly depending on where you live. A new nationwide survey dug into exactly that, asking nearly 2,000 Americans to pick their favorite Christmas film released in the past 50 years.

Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis, E.G. Marshall, and Natalija Nogulich in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) — Photo by Warner Bros.

The list they pulled from wasn’t random, either. It was a curated lineup of 27 major holiday movies — everything from childhood classics to modern favorites — selected using IMDb ratings, Rotten Tomatoes reviews, and box office performance. Once the votes were tallied, the results painted a surprisingly fun picture of regional taste: some states gravitate toward heartfelt nostalgia, others lean into slapstick chaos, and a few have completely unexpected favorites.

If you’re curious how your state stacks up (or if your neighbors have questionable holiday taste), here’s the full alphabetical breakdown. And if you want to see which 10 movies won the national title overall, you can check that out once you’re ready.

Alabama: A Christmas Story (1983) — 31.91%
Alaska: A Christmas Story (1983) — 29.03%
Arizona: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 43.48%
Arkansas: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) — 26.32%
California: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 23.26%
Colorado: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 35.71%
Connecticut: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 23.08%

Delaware: A Christmas Story (1983) — 30.77%
Florida: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 62.50%
Georgia: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 45.00%
Hawaii: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 24.24%
Idaho: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 31.25%
Illinois: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 59.52%
Indiana: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 31.43%
Iowa: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 36.84%
Kansas: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 24.32%
Kentucky: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 82.22%
Louisiana: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 20.69%
Maine: A Christmas Story (1983) — 34.48%
Maryland: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 40.00%
Massachusetts: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 74.00%
Michigan: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 51.43%
Minnesota: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 28.57%
Mississippi: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 58.82%
Missouri: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 62.50%

Montana: Home Alone (1990) — 32.35%
Nebraska: A Christmas Story (1983) — 30.19%
Nevada: Home Alone (1990) — 32.65%
New Hampshire: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 18.92%
New Jersey: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 20.00%
New Mexico: Home Alone (1990) — 16.00%
New York: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 32.50%
North Carolina: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 43.90%
North Dakota: A Christmas Story (1983) — 56.25%
Ohio: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 47.92%

Oklahoma: The Santa Clause (1994) — 28.00%
Oregon: A Christmas Story (1983) — 36.00%
Pennsylvania: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 39.62%
Rhode Island: The Holiday (2006) — 28.57%

South Carolina: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 40.00%
South Dakota: A Christmas Story (1983) — 16.00%
Tennessee: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 37.14%
Texas: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 29.79%
Utah: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 30.00%
Vermont: A Christmas Story (1983) — 34.88%
Virginia: Home Alone (1990) — 31.11%
Washington: A Christmas Story (1983) — 47.17%
West Virginia: Home Alone (1990) — 60.00%
Wisconsin: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) — 68.18%

Wyoming: Elf (2003) — 38.24%

10 of the Best Christmas Movies That Aren’t on Hallmark

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) — Photo by Disney Enterprises, Inc

So, as the season kicks into full gear, why not explore some of the best Christmas movies out there? Here are ten must-watch recommendations that made it to the top of the list of a recent message board vote. Grab your cocoa and hit play!