The Holiday Happiness Index study, which was conducted in collaboration with Natalie Dattilo-Ryan, a Harvard-affiliated clinical psychologist and holistic happiness expert, looked at 50 destinations throughout the world and ranked them across five "feel good" factors, including sunlight, quality sleep, a healthy diet, time in nature, and physical exercise. To determine which are the sunniest, the study also took into account each place's total hours of sunlight per year.
No matter what region of the country you live in, you'll find a super cool Yule installation to love on our list. Some bring the Christmas cheer to horticultural attractions, like Brookgreen and Longwood Gardens, others set big cities ablaze in millions of walk-through or drive-through lights (including Austin and Las Vegas). And of course, there are plenty of charming small towns that go all out with seasonal displays (hellllooo Leavenworth, Washington).