The Most Popular Christmas Movie In Every State
Each December, friends and families gather to watch something cozy and full of cheer. Of course, this raises the trickiest question for a holiday host: Which movie should we watch? Finding the perfect film to entertain our loved ones around Christmas is no easy task. Some guests might prefer Hallmark's specific brand of Christmas movies — full of predictable romance and town-saving adventures. Others might request a PG-13 or R-rated Christmas flick fit for those who don't like traditional holiday fare. Understandably, most families put on something reliable to watch, a seasonal film they've seen countless times and can trust to comfort all. So, which Christmas films dominated household television screens throughout 2023?
Looper's here to tell you. Using research on IMDb and Google Trends for the past 12 months of 2023, our team discovered which Christmas movies are the most popular state by state. Likely, the titles on this list won't come as a surprise. However, where these films rank amongst the states might! Below, we'll explore the top Christmas movies across the United States so you can see who's watching what in 2023.
Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
Unless it's a staple on your holiday watchlist, the most popular Christmas movie in the U.S. might surprise you. The number one spot is the 2004 comedy "Christmas with the Kranks." The holiday film stars Tim Allen as Luther Krank and Jamie Lee Curtis as Nora Krank. Since their daughter Blair (Julie Gonzalo) won't be around, they cancel Christmas entirely, a choice that makes their nosy, holiday-loving neighbors furious. Of course, this results in several decoration-related shenanigans as the Kranks prepare for a Christmas-less Caribbean cruise. When Blair announces she's coming home for Christmas with her new fiancé, the Kranks frantically scramble to set up the holiday.
The movie is set in Chicago, but Illinois isn't listed as one of the states where it reigns supreme (nor does California, where it was filmed). But the fascinating thing about "Christmas with the Kranks" is that it transformed from a critical dud to a Christmas darling. Upon its release, it earned a 5% rating on Rotten Tomatoes — even now, the only holiday movie here that ranks lower is 2010's "The Nutcracker in 3D." It's now the most popular Christmas movie in the U.S. How's that for a glow-up?
Most loved in:
- Arizona
- Connecticut
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" is still one of the most beloved animated Christmas films of all time. Based on the charming rhyming tale written by Dr. Seuss in 1957, Chuck Jones helmed the adaptation and it debuted on CBS in December 1966. At this point, it's a familiar story; irritated beyond belief by the earnest denizens of Whoville, the Grinch (voiced by Boris Karloff, who also narrates the movie) ransacks the town overnight and steals all the Christmas decorations and presents. When the Whoville citizens still celebrate without the seasonal trimmings ... we all know what goes down. The Grinch's heart grows three times in size, he returns the decorations, and he finally lives in harmony alongside Whoville.
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" is an undisputed Christmas classic, so it's not a big surprise that it showed up in second place on our list. Why it's beloved in these states isn't immediately apparent, but it could just boil down to the fact that these places have good taste.
Most loved in:
- Arkansas
- Louisiana
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
Four Christmases (2008)
If the idea of attending one Christmas celebration with extended family feels exhausting, imagine squeezing four into one holiday season! That's the dilemma that the film "Four Christmases" explores, faced by Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon), a couple who, like the Kranks before them, are trying to go on vacation and ignore Christmas altogether. When their grand plan becomes ruined by inclement weather, the duo are stuck visiting their estranged families for Christmas. Not only are these celebrations predictably dysfunctional, but they also damage Kate and Brad's relationship, making them re-evaluate their shared stance against marriage and kids. This is a Christmas movie, though — so it all ends happily, trust us.
The film is primarily set in San Francisco, so it makes sense that Californians particularly love this film. Overall, it seems like it's a staple for households across the coasts (as well as Wisconsin). What you might not know about "Four Christmases," though, is it has a serious holiday movie pedigree within its crew. Peter Billingsley, who you may remember played Ralphie in "A Christmas Story," is one of the movie's executive producers. He also briefly appears in the film as an airline employee.
Most loved in:
- California
- Colorado
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Wisconsin
The Santa Clause (1994)
If you forgot how "The Santa Clause" kicks off, here's a warning: it's grim! When unsuspecting family man Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) hears what he thinks is a random intruder on Christmas Eve, he accidentally causes him to fall off his roof. (Yes, he killed Santa Claus.) Scott, a humble marketing executive from Illinois' suburbs, must take over Santa's mantle. Things get weird. Scott starts physically transforming into Santa. Scott's son Charlie (Eric Lloyd) starts believing in Santa Claus, leading his mother and Scott's ex-wife Laura (Wendy Crewson) to remove Scott's visitation rights. When Scott embraces his new identity as Santa, all ends well.
"The Santa Clause" ultimately spawned two sequels and a 2022 reboot, so it's not particularly shocking that it stood the test of time as a beloved Christmas movie. Besides its nationwide popularity, it scores high along the Eastern seaboard in places like Maryland and Massachusetts. However, it's also notably huge in Texas. Beyond that, it's clear that "The Santa Clause" will remain in people's holiday rotations for years to come.
Most loved in:
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Mississippi
- Texas
A Christmas Story (1983)
The oldest movie in the top five here is also one of the best holiday movies ever made, so it's a relief to see "A Christmas Story" hit that spot. Released in 1983, "A Christmas Story" is technically based on two books by writer Jean Shepherd. The movie fuses several semi-fictional stories into one centered on a child named Ralphie (played as a child by Peter Billingsley, with this adult self voiced by Shepherd). All Ralphie wants for Christmas is a B.B. gun, even if his mother (Melinda Dillon) believes he'll "shoot his eye out." Along the way, he gets into plenty of hijinks, like licking frozen poles and getting his mouth washed out with soap for swearing.
Whether you're a kid eagerly awaiting Christmas or an adult with lapsed holiday spirits, turn on "A Christmas Story." This is a film that restores faith in Christmas (and maybe sends you looking for a leg lamp complete with a fishnet stocking). After opening all your presents, join Ralphie and his desperate quest for his B.B. gun. Or if you're feeling like taking a chance on a new holiday movie, check out its sequel: 2022's "A Christmas Story Christmas." (No, the sequel didn't make our list — though, the film is still Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, so you might enjoy it!)
Most loved in:
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Montana
What's the most popular Christmas movie in each state?
Beyond those top five films, there are plenty of other popular Christmas movies watched throughout the holidays across the U.S. Maine, Florida, and Rhode Island all picked outliers, with "The Polar Express," "Scrooged," and "Home Alone," respectively. Surprisingly, the Macaulay Culkin-led film didn't appear as the top movie for more states. Horror aficionados in Michigan and Tennessee let a newcomer take their top spot, anointing "Violent Night" as their favorite. The Rankin-Bass stop-motion class "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" reigns supreme in the Midwest. Want to see which Christmas movie is most popular in your state? Here's the complete list based on Looper's research:
- Alabama: "Frosty the Snowman"
- Alaska: "White Christmas"
- Arizona: "Christmas with the Kranks"
- Arkansas: "How The Grinch Stole Christmas!"
- California: "Four Christmases"
- Colorado: "Four Christmases"
- Connecticut: "Christmas with the Kranks"
- Delaware: "Jingle All the Way"
- Florida: "Scrooged"
- Georgia: "Miracle on 34th Street"
- Hawaii: "A Christmas Story"
- Idaho: "A Christmas Story"
- Illinois: "Miracle on 34th Street"
- Indiana: "Christmas with the Kranks"
- Iowa: "It's a Wonderful Life"
- Kansas: "A Christmas Carol"
- Kentucky: "Christmas with the Kranks"
- Louisiana: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"
- Maine: "The Polar Express"
- Maryland: "The Santa Clause"
- Massachusetts: "The Santa Clause"
- Michigan: "Violent Night"
- Minnesota: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"
- Mississippi: "The Santa Clause"
- Missouri: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
- Montana: "A Christmas Story"
- Nebraska: "Love Actually"
- Nevada: "White Christmas"
- New Hampshire: "Last Christmas"
- New Jersey: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"
- New Mexico: "Last Christmas"
- New York: "Four Christmases"
- North Carolina: "Jingle All the Way"
- North Dakota: "Last Christmas"
- Ohio: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
- Oklahoma: "Frosty the Snowman"
- Oregon: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
- Pennsylvania: "Four Christmases"
- Rhode Island: "Home Alone"
- South Carolina: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"
- South Dakota: "Elf"
- Tennessee: "Violent Night"
- Texas: "The Santa Clause"
- Utah: "A Christmas Carol"
- Vermont: "Christmas with the Kranks"
- Virginia: "Christmas with the Kranks"
- Washington: "Christmas with the Kranks"
- West Virginia: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"
- Wisconsin: "Four Christmases"
- Wyoming: "Elf"
Looper's Methodology for determining each state's favorite Christmas movie
So, how did Looper decode which Christmas movies were the most popular and where in the U.S.? After rounding up fans' top-rated 100 Christmas movies on IMDb, the team identified the top 25 searched Christmas movies on that list. Using Google Trends, we looked at the search increase in the last month in every U.S. state to identify each state's most popular holiday movie in 2023. Data is correct as of December 5, 2023, and analyzed over the preceding month and year. As the holiday season approached, it became clear who was victorious this season.
Now that each state has its own Christmas pick, it's time to settle in for a marathon. All in all, the list spans picks from 1946 ("It's a Wonderful Life") to 2022 ("Violent Night"), so no matter where you live, there's plenty to choose from when guests arrive. Whether it's an old favorite or a new entry in the Christmas movie canon, our list has you covered this holiday season.