See where Mississippi ranks in a variety of national Christmas lists
It's officially Christmastime in Mississippi. Compared to other states, Mississippi ranks top on national Christmas lists, making the Magnolia State the place to be for festive cheer.
Jackson is place to be for caroling
In a study done to find the best and worst American cities to go Christmas caroling, Jackson ranked No. 1 out of 100 cities.
GlassDoctor.com ranked the cities based on several factors including walkability, elevation, suburban population, number of church choirs compared to population, yard size and search interest for Christmas carols.
The factors were then averaged together to create an overall score out of 100 points.
Jackson received an overall rating of 78.2.
The study found that Jacksonians search frequently for Christmas carols and received an interest score of 62.7.
Jackson was the only Mississippi city to make the cut. Birmingham, Alabama, came in fourth place.
Southern hospitality means no regifting
When is the last time you kept a gift you didn't want to avoid hurting the giver's feelings? Maybe you even have a pile of unused gifts stashed in a closet somewhere.
That practice is typical Mississippi behavior, according to a study conducted by Casino.org.
The study sought to determine the nicest and naughtiest state when it comes to regifting. The site conducted nationwide survey asking 3,000 American residents, ranging from ages 18 to 55, in November 2023 about what their regifting habits are.
Overall, 47.9% of Americans said they have regifted an unwanted present in the past. Clothing, it seems, is the least desirable and most regifted choice.
Mississippi's responses deemed the state the "nicest" in the nation, with only 25% of respondents confessing to regifting. Twelve-and-a-half percent of respondents said they have thrown a gift in the garbage because they already owned the item.
The top reason Mississippians gave for keeping an unwanted gift was to "avoid hurting the other person's feelings."
"If spelling Mississippi is too difficult for you … just dub them Santa’s Elves," the site says.
Not all Southerners are prone to holding on to gifts, however. Neighboring state Alabama came in dead last, with 60% of respondents confessing to regifting.
Mississippi most affordable state for Christmas shopping
Looking for last-minute stocking stuffers on a budget? Mississippi is the place to be, according to a study conducted by PriceListo to determine which state has the most affordable Christmas shopping.
The study examined Dollar Tree and Dollar General stores throughout the U.S. The number of stores was combined with population.
Mississippi topped the list; the state has 820 dollar stores with a mean average of 3,611 people per store. That combination means Mississippians have the most access to bargain Christmas gifts.
Diamonds are a Mississippian's best friend
If you're still wondering what to buy your loved one, chances are in Mississippi they would be happy with some diamond jewelry.
Fine jewelry expert Mark Broumand conducted a study of Google search data to determine which gems were most popular in each state.
The study, covering over 45 gemstones and approximately 500 keywords, determined that diamonds are the No. 1 most desirable gems in 38 states, including Mississippi.
In Mississippi, diamonds beat out stones, including moissanite (which placed second), pearl, emerald, moonstone and sapphire.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MS top on several national Christmas lists
