New England Loves Nostalgic Christmas Movies

CableTV.com mapped the most popular Christmas movies in each state, and classic films win up north.

white christmas bing crosby

Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye in a White Christmas trailer / Photo via Wikimedia Commons

When you get ready to curl up by the tree and watch a good Christmas movie, which one do you reach for? If you’re a New Englander, there’s a good chance it’s a classic one.

This week, CableTV.com mapped the most popular Christmas movies in each state. Movies like Home Alone and Christmas Vacation make several appearances in regions across the country, but in New England and other northern states, nostalgic movies take the cake.

Vermont enjoys White Christmas, which is appropriate considering the film tells the story of two musicians (played by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) attempting to enjoy a snow-filled holiday at a Vermont lodge. Christmas in Connecticut is Connecticut’s favorite film for obvious reasons, and Maine is particularly fond of the stop-motion classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Both Massachusetts and Rhode Island stray from nostalgic films, declaring their affinity for Elf. (Other states enjoying cold-weather climates, like New York, prefer It’s a Wonderful Life.)

CableTV.com appointed each state’s favorite film by examining the top-rated holiday movies ranked by viewers of AMC (American Movie Classics). Then, analysts cross-referenced the titles with Google Trends data by state, looking at search information from the past decade.

“Way up north in the ice and snow, New Englanders like to warm up with the classics,” reads the CableTV.com report. “There’s a marked preference for older festive fare that captures Christmases of long, long ago.”

Wondering what the rest of the country watches? See the complete map below.

cabletv.com christmas movies states

Image via Cabletv.com