🎅🏼❌Jingle Hell! The Worst Places to Spend Xmas🌲👻

Last Christmas, I made the rookie mistake of booking a trip to see my cousin in Buffalo without realizing it was gonna be colder than Elsa’s heart.

Let me tell ya – between the three feet of snow and wind chills that made it feel like Santa’s workshop was located in Antarctica, I was ready to start bah humbugging faster than the Grinch.

Don’t be like me – if you’re looking to get in the holiday spirit without totally ruining your holiday cheer, avoid these Scrooge-worthy cities at all costs.

Some cities just aren’t made for spreading Christmas joy – these places will have you changing your plans faster than Clark Griswold switching Christmas trees.

Buffalo had me dreaming of a snow-free Christmas by the time I boarded my return flight.

But which other cities are guaranteed to drag you down faster than pulling coal out of Santa’s bag?

Today, I’m spillin’ all the dirt on the absolute worst places you DON’T wanna be this time of year.

Consider yourself warned!

Frosty Fail: Fargo, North Dakota

In Fargo, even the groundhog wouldn’t see his shadow – he’d freeze solid!

With a typical Christmas low of 0 degrees, this city takes freezing to a whole new level.

And over 18 inches of snow make the prospects of roasting chestnuts over an open fire about as appealing as getting coal in your stocking.

Unless your idea of holly jolly involves bundling up so much you look like the Abominable Snowman, save Fargo for warmer months.

There you have it – the unholy trinity of towns to avoid if you want a winter wonderland without the wonder of hypothermia.

Of course, every place has its charms.

But for a cozy, carefree Christmas, steer clear of these Scrooge-worthy spots and your holidays are sure to be bright.

Snowed In: Buffalo, New York

I knew it snowed a lot there in the winter, but nothing could have prepared me for the true Buffalo blizzard experience.

See, Buffalo averages over 5 feet of snow from December through January.

5 FEET.

That’s like if the Abominable Snowman took a really big dump.

On top of all that powder, the average low temps are in the teens.

Teens!

Brrrr!

I might as well have gone caroling at the South Pole.

So there I was on Christmas Eve, buried under what felt like 10 feet of snow, more ice hanging off my beard than off the Christmas tree, and experiencing cold so deep my bones literally ached.

Any plans of relaxing by the fire with eggnog and Bing Crosby tunes were quickly replaced by the reality that I was trapped inside with nothing to do but stare out the window at the endless piles of snow and ponder how it was even possible for one place to be this icy and desolate.

Some “winter wonderland” – it felt more like winter wanderlust as I dreamed of being anywhere warmer!

The few brave souls who did dare to emerge from their snowbound homes stumbled through the drifts like zombies in a winter wonderland of The Walking Dead.

Any trace of Christmas cheer was buried under mountains of snow.

And that’s saying something, because Buffalo prides itself on going all out with holiday displays and events.

But even their Christmas market couldn’t thaw the frozen tundra Buffalo becomes every December.

No amount of eggnog or caroling was enough to make me feel anything but utterly miserable.

Thankfully I only had to endure three long, cold, depressing days before my flight could finally take off.

But those seventy-two hours were enough to convince me that unless your idea of a good time is building snow caves while singing carols in a blizzard, Buffalo should be avoided like egg nog after Christmas.

I now have a whole new appreciation for mild southern California Decembers after surviving Buffalo’s winter wonderfreeze.

Burlington, Vermont

Fresh off my Buffalo blizzard ordeal, I foolishly thought the next stop on my holiday tour couldn’t be any worse.

That’s when I made my way just across Lake Champlain to Burlington, Vermont.

On paper, Burlington looked like your classic picturesque New England town with lots of holiday charm – snow-covered houses with twinkly lights, a cozy town square decorated to the nines, ice skating rinks and weekend festivities.

What could go wrong?

Oh just the fact that the “average high” temperature in December is a bone-chilling 24 degrees according to my research.

24 DEGREES.

As in you can see your breath freeze in front of your face with every word you speak.

And let me tell you, speaking was the last thing on my mind as I pulled my multiple layers of scarves and coats tighter, trying in vain to retain what little body heat I had left.

The frigid winds coming off Lake Champlain didn’t help matters either, making the already brutal temperatures feel even colder.

To make a miserable situation worse, Burlington gets over 4 feet of snow annually which was piled up everywhere thanks to recent dumps.

There would be no cute snow-dusted strolls through the town square here – instead it was a treacherous slog just to venture outside.

Forget cozy holiday shopping or coffee dates – the only thing open was my chattering teeth!

I quickly learned that Burlington’s beauty is only skin deep (or snow deep?

) during December.

Underneath lies a big fat heaping helping of cold so fierce it literally took my breath away.

My beloved eggnog was the only thing keeping me warm at that point.

No amount of twinkly lights or festive storefronts could compete with the numbness setting into my bones courtesy of Burlington.

I say this with love, but when it’s that fiercely frigid, even Santa would need to bundle up before making his sleigh stop here.

This Vermont village is postcard perfect, just not during the winter wonder-freeze.

Chilly Chicago, Illinois

Figuring I couldn’t get any colder after Buffalo and Burlington, I decided to brave Chicago for Christmas thinking the big city vibe might provide some excitement to counter the cold.

Boy was I wrong.

See, while Chicago averages highs in the low 20s during December, what the statistics don’t tell you is how insanely windy it gets there.

We’re talking constant gusts over 15 mph on the daily.

As someone who hails from balmy Southern California, I had no concept of true wind chill until I felt the brutal breezes of the Windy City.

Stepping outside was like getting bitch slapped by Jack Frost on repeat.

The air didn’t just nip at your skin, it assaulted you with such ferocious force that I nearly did the Gene Kelly spin right back inside after just five minutes.

And did I mention it was snowing too?

Big, fluffy flakes that swirled every which way in the howling gales, coating everything in freezing powder at lightning speed.

Walking more than a block was out of the question since the winds blew sideways so strong I felt like a penguin trying to waddle into Antarctica.

Inside, things weren’t much better.

Every building rattled and creaked as if the Big Bad Wolf himself was kicking down doors.

Windows whistled and roared like a packs of wolves on the prowl.

Trying to sleep was impossible thanks to the bone-chilling howls.

I thought staying in would save me, but not even the Radisson could keep out Old Man Winter’s wrath.

By Christmas morning, I emerged from my room looking more ghostly than any Casper.

While Chicago knows how to throw one heck of a party, come December their festivities might as well be held in an icy tundra for all the good it does.

Unless you find fun in activities like ice fishing or penguin sledding, the Windy City winds will blow away any Christmas cheer faster than Clark Griswold’s tree lights.

Next time, I’m dreaming of a white Christmas anywhere but here!

Freezing Fins: Finnish Lapland, Finland

Despite my icy encounters in America, I thought I was prepared for the legendary winter of Finnish Lapland when I booked my trip there for the holidays.

Santa’s official holiday home had to provide the ultimate Christmas experience, right?

Wrong.

Very, very wrong.

See, while the concept of visiting Santa Claus Village and riding reindeer sounded magical, the reality hit like freezing night in a snowdrift.

I’m talking brutal subzero temperatures that made the Polar Express look positively balmy.

We’re talking average December highs of 14 degrees according to the locals, but factor in the bone-chilling winds gusting constantly and it FELT below zero pretty much all the damn time.

Like constantly being stabbed with icicles below zero.

Just stepping outside tested my limits like an arctic boot camp.

Everything was coated in a thick layer of heavy, fluffy snow over 6 feet deep in places.

Beautiful, sure, unless you were literally stuck inside it every second like a snowman coming apart at the seams.

Aside from practicing my penguin waddle and turning into an real-life ice cube inbetween photo ops, there was sweet fanny adams to do outside in those extremities.

No coffee dates or shopping trips here – everything shut down faster than you could say “Bah humbug!” under such brutal conditions.

While visiting Santa’s Land was a dream, the dream was quickly replaced by nightmares of frostbite as I realized Lapland makes Antarctica look like Hawaii in winter.

Unless you genuinely enjoy activities like icicle carving and freeze tag with the Baba Yaga, Lapland in December is best experienced through rereading childhood Christmas stories by the fire.

I now know mystical Finland’s legendary winters are no joke – they’re downright dangerous without serious arctic survival gear.

My dreams of snowy Santa sightings were crushed harder than frozen grapes under a boot.

This was one Christmas trip that left me cold!

.

Los Angeles

Much like their East Coast cousins, Angelenos are not known for their festive and friendly driving around the holidays.

With the sprawling city already prone to traffic even on normal days, bumper-to-bumper jams are par for the course in December.

Picture inching down the freeway at a pace that would put a slug to shame, with irate commuters cutting each other off and blasting Christmas carols at a volume to shatter windows.

Once you do make it to your destination, good luck finding reasonable parking anywhere near attractions.

Street spots are like gold and structure rates are jacked up something fierce.

Then add in hordes of tourists clogging up sidewalks ogling the Hollywood sights, and you’ve got a perfect storm of gridlock on foot too.

Iconic spots like the Walk of Fame, Disney Concert Hall and Santa Monica Pier are all a complete zoo, making it no fun to experience them.

With the city’s year-round warm climate also comes lack of true wintry atmosphere.

Unlike snow-kissed towns further north, very little places go all-out with decorations or activities here.

Whereas elsewhere you’d find seasonal marketplaces, shows and events galore, L.

A.

has relatively slim pickings for holiday fun that time of year.

Orlando

As the theme park capital of America, you’d think Orlando would be a magical place to spend Christmas, right?

Think again, bucko.

Much like southern beaches, everything related to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios or SeaWorld goes into hibernation mode between late December and early January no matter the weather.

From festive parade routes to holiday food events, the magic fades away once winter break hits.

Then factor in how absolutely insane the parks, hotels, shops and roads get once winter school vacations start up.

We’re talking solid hour waits just to get through bag check, hours-long queues for even kiddie rides, and gridlock unlike any Disney’s imagination could conjure.

Lodging rates are raised into the nosebleed section as well, with value rooms going for prices that would shock Elsa herself.

Your kids would meltdown like the Wicked Witch before even making it through the gates!

Combine lack of special events, major shutdowns and ultra-crowds, and Orlando isn’t very magical around Christmas unless you enjoy massive stress testing.

Consider an off-season visit instead for a more carefree Disney experience without the hassle of holiday hullabaloo.

Las Vegas

On one hand, Sin City staying lively 24/7 with casinos and shows makes it tempting for a winter getaway without snow.

However, factor in how absolutely mobbed the Strip and surrounding areas become once the calendar flips to December.

We’re talking shoulder-to-shoulder throngs packed tighter than a slot machine, bumper-to-bumper traffic for miles, and lodging rates that would bankrupt Scrooge himself just to sleep on a stained pull-out couch.

Even navigating the sidewalks is like swimming against a raging current, what with constantly stopping to let aggressive tourism droves pass while squeezing by.

And good frickin luck grabbing a decent meal – tables are booked months out at headlining restaurants and all that’s left are overpriced grab-and-go spots.

Not to mention how damn cold it gets once the sun sets, even with festive lights everywhere.

Unless you enjoy holiday FOMO watching others partake in festivities from a never-ending check-in line, save Vegas for another time sans massive crowds.

Opt for a charming mountain town getaway instead with less concrete jungle and way more cozy comforts for the most wonderful time of year.

Denver

Situated in the lovely Rocky Mountains, Denver itself has tons of charm around the holidays normally including fun winter festivals, strolls through light displays and sightings of Santa zipping around downtown.

However, factor in how mega-packed the city becomes once ski towns start buzzing, and things take a turn for the hellish.

First off, good frickin luck finding lodging without planning months in advance or shelling out several organs at inflated costs.

Everything within 100 miles books up instantaneously like concert tickets.

And hope you don’t need to drive anywhere – “gridlock” doesn’t quite capture the post-apocalyptic traffic jams clogging highways as skiers clog city streets en masse for weeks on end.

Even parking at a grocery store becomes an hour-long Olympic sport.

Restaurants are a damn near impossible feat as well, with waits so long they’d put fine dining to shame.

Expecting a casual meal anywhere decent without a strategic reservation weeks ago is futile.

Factor in price-gouging too and you’ve got a recipe for losing the holiday spirit fast stuck amid bumper-to-bumper jams surrounded by frustrated cabins on all sides.

Philadelphia

As a major East Coast city with lots of history and charm, Philly has its appeal normally.

However, pile on the mobs attracted by all the seasonal festivities and iconic sights around Christmas, and things turn claustrophobic real quick.

We’re talking wall-to-wall bodies crammed down cramped streets near attractions like Independence Hall, the Art Museum steps and Old City.

Driving around Center City becomes a joke, with multilane roads condensed into one-lane parking lots at a snail’s pace.

Your Lyft will take longer to arrive than it takes to bake Christmas cookies from scratch.

And good friggin luck finding street parking or a semi-affordable garage spot – pray to the parking gods and start the negotiations!

Public transit isn’t much better thanks to service issues and cattle car-level capacity on buses and trains.

Even basic activities like browsing hometown shops or grabbing a quick bite become Olympic events.

Lines stretch for blocks and prices get hiked up higher than Ebenezer’s eyebrows at this time of year.

Nothing says holiday cheer like simmering tempers from overcrowding and exhaustion after hours-long waits!

Chicago

The Windy City normally has loads of seasonal magic, from festive neighborhoods to skating at Millenium Park below skyscrapers aglow.

But factor in how crammed downtown becomes once holiday retail frenzies and winter breaks start?

Gridlock city.

We’re talking highways reduced to parking lots from O’Hare clear in, while side streets are at a literal standstill.

City blocks morph into winding pedestrian traffic jams shoulder-to-shoulder slow.

Just navigating a single intersection takes longer than the Macy’s parade.

And good luck finding an affordable spot amongst packs competing – expect to pay out the nose or possibly your firstborn.

Attractions like the Christmas market and tree lighting draw swarms too.

Queues stretch miles and temps literally plunge as you wait for even basic activities.

Combine that with pricy rates and zero elbow room, and you’ve got a recipe for stress that’d make Ebenezer sing!

Seattle

Normally the Emerald City’s rain and coffee shop vibes have seasonal appeal.

However, things get downright wet and wild once the masses descend upon Puget Sound for winter breaks and holidays.

We’re talking epic traffic creating parking lots upon parking lots for miles.

Highways resemble a post-apocalyptic wasteland more than routes to festive fun.

And good luck navigating streets once you emerge from your vehicle Sarlacc pit – sidewalks become impassable tides of bodies squeezing tight as canned sardines.

Even public transit like Link light rail becomes a frenzied mess of delays and sardine-style capacity.

Popular areas like downtown, Pike Place, the waterfront and Capitol Hill are a total zoo.

Every store, stall and restaurant is jam packed to fire code capacity with hours-long waits even for a coffee.

Nothing says Christmas cheer like rubbing damp coats with frenzied strangers amid downpours!

San Francisco

The foggy City by the Bay comes alive with holiday sparkle normally.

However, things take a turn for the congested once winter break crowds descend.

Highways morph into multimile parking lots around the clock thanks to jammed bridges and spillover traffic from Silicon Valley.

Even navigating within neighborhoods involves snail’s pace crawls down hills.

Forget trying to park anywhere near attractions like Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square or Golden Gate Park after the masses swarm in.

Rates in garages make the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes just looking at the posted prices.

Public transit also sees surcharges and capacity issues as cables cars, BART trains and buses squeeze in overflowing volumes.

Just squeezing onto a packed car feels like an accomplishment.

And good luck hitting any iconic sights or restaurants without scouting them out months prior with a strategy.

Boston

Historic Beantown normally oozes New England holiday charm from quaint shops and neighborhoods all aglow.

But once the universities let out and winter wonders descend?

Madness ensues amid peak traffic and absolute zoo-like conditions.

The infamous “Boston drivers” take road rage to a whole new level battling multilane parking lots around the clock.

Even walking the Freedom Trail or strolling Downtown Crossing feels like running an obstacle gauntlet negotiating dense bodies everywhere.

Public transit also seizes up with crowds, breakdowns and surge pricing making a simple T ride feel riskier than braving blizzards.

Everything from museums to pubs have hours-long waits unless booked eons ago.

Enjoy stress-testing patience levels instead!

New York City

Probably the quintessential city to avoid at Christmas.

With over 8 million people crammed into its tiny islands, NYC feels more claustrophobic than a tin of sardines once the yuletide rolls around.

Forget even thinking about driving – all the bridges and tunnels into Manhattan are bumper-to-bumper for days on end.

And good luck finding street parking, let alone a spot in a packed garage – you’d have better luck spotting Santa riding his sleigh down Broadway!

Within the city itself, every sidewalk is shoulder-to-shoulder with frazzled locals and wide-eyed tourists alike.

Just navigating a single block takes an eternity thanks to the slower-than-molasses foot traffic.

Then throw in aggressive street vendors, impromptu performers and crowds gawking at window displays, and you’ve got a perfect storm of pedestrian gridlock.

Even the subway is a mess, with delays, service changes and train cars so crammed you’ll be rubbing elbows with strangers whether you like it or not.

As for activities, forget something as simple as ice skating at Rockefeller Center without scoring tickets months in advance.

And you can kiss any hopes of spotting the famous tower or seeing the ball drop goodbye, as viewing areas fill up faster than Santa’s cookie plate.

Restaurants are just as impossible, whether high-end or hole-in-the-wall joints – expect waits into the multiple hours without a strategic reservation.

Then factor in sky-high lodging rates and you’ve got a recipe for Christmas chaos and costs in the Big Apple.

Xmas Travel Alert: 10+ Cities You’ll Want to Skip This Holiday Season