How much time do Wisconsin families spend together over the holidays compared to other places?
From baking Christmas cookies to watching classic holiday movies to driving through twinkling lights, there are plenty of festive ways for families to spend time together during the winter holiday season.
But how much time do families actually spend together during the holidays?
A recent survey by Gunther Volkswagen Daytona Beach sought to answer this question by measuring how many hours, on average, families in each U.S. state spend together doing festive activities like ice-skating, attending holiday parties, baking cookies, decorating the Christmas tree and more.
The survey of 3,000 respondents conducted earlier this month found that Wisconsin families spend the fourth-most amount of time together doing festive activities during the holiday season. According to the survey, Wisconsin families spend an average of 13 hours and 18 minutes together enjoying holiday activities.
Vermont families spend the most amount of time together: 15 hours and 36 minutes. This was followed by Utah and Rhode Island families, who both spend an average of 14 hours getting in the holiday spirit together.
What are the most popular family activities during the holiday season?
According to the Daytona Beach News-Journal and Georgia's ValdostaToday.com, the following holiday activities were factored into the survey:
Holiday movie marathons
Viewing Christmas lights
Baking cookies
Ice-skating
Hosting or attending parties
Choosing and collecting a Christmas tree
Attending religious services
Attending markets
Volunteering
The News-Journal also reported that 90% of respondents said "just spending time with family" is the best thing about the holiday season.
Which U.S. states spend the most time with family during the holidays?
Scroll through the interactive map below to see how many hours families in each state spend, on average, doing festive holiday activities together.
According to the survey, families in these 10 states spend the most time together doing festive holiday activities:
Vermont: 15 hours and 36 minutes
Utah: 14 hours
Rhode Island: 14 hours
Wisconsin: 13 hours and 18 minutes
Arkansas: 12 hours and 37 minutes
New Hampshire: 12 hours and 24 minutes
Colorado: 11 hours and 36 minutes
Texas: 11 hours and 34 minutes
North Carolina: 11 hours and 32 minutes
West Virginia: 11 hours and 30 minutes
Where can you find festive activities in and around Milwaukee?
Holiday movies
Rivoli Holiday Film Festival
What: The historic Rivoli theater will be showing a classic holiday movie (or two) every day from Dec. 1-23.
Where: W62 N567 Washington Ave., Cedarburg
Click here for more information, the full schedule of movies and more holiday movie events.
Bayshore Holiday Movies
What: The Bayshore mall will play outdoor holiday movies from Dec. 1-23. "Celebrate the holiday season and delight in festive movies on the big screen in the open-air setting of The Yard at Bayshore while you explore enchanting holiday displays and indulge in premier shopping, dining, and entertainment."
Where: 5800 N. Bayshore Drive, Glendale
Click here for more information and the full schedule of movies.
More: Milwaukee movie theaters get holiday spirit with Christmas classics: What's showing where
Christmas lights
Candy Cane Lane
What: The neighborhood holiday light display shines from Nov. 24 through Dec. 25. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday and 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Free-will donations are collected with all donations benefiting the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer, Inc., or MACC Fund.
Where: Candy Cane Lane illuminates the neighborhood streets of West Allis from Montana Avenue to Oklahoma Avnue and 96th Street to 92nd Street.
Click here to learn more and see a calendar of Candy Cane Lane's performances and Santa appearances.
Cedarburg Zeunert Park
What: Illuminate Ozaukee drive-thru Holiday Light Show, 5-8 p.m. Dec. 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23. Admission to the park is free, with a $10 per vehicle donation suggested. Upon entry to the display, you will receive a booklet with a QR Code to vote for your favorite display. Proceeds benefit the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center.
Where: Zeunert Park, N28 W5600 Lincoln Blvd., Cedarburg
Click here to learn more about Illuminate Ozaukee.
Milwaukee County Zoo Wild Lights
What: Walk the pathways and forested areas decorated with animal-themed light displays from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Dec. 1-31 (closed Dec. 4, 5, 11, 12, 24 and 25). Adult admission is $18 online and $20 at the gate, children (ages 3 to 12) are $16 online and $18 at the gate. New this year are drive-thru dates for $40 per carload, online in advance only.
Where: Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Blue Mound Road
Click here to learn more about Wild Lights, and purchase tickets here.
Milwaukee-area holiday lights displays: Where you can see holiday lights and other displays in the Milwaukee area in 2023
Ice-skating
"Slice of Ice" at Red Arrow Park
What: Milwaukee's Red Arrow Park offers seasonal ice-skating during the holidays in December and regularly in January and February. Skate rental is $11 per adult and $8 per child under 18. If you have your own skates, you can skate for free.
Where: Red Arrow Park, 920 N. Water St., Milwaukee
Click here for rink dates and hours and to learn more.
Pettit National Ice Center public skating
What: The Pettit National Ice Center offers indoor public skating most weekday evenings and weekend days. Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors and teens, and $7 for children. Children 3 and under skate free. Skate rental is available for $4.50 per person.
Where: Pettit National Ice Center, 500 S. 84th St., Milwaukee
Click here for a schedule of public skating hours.
Humboldt Park Lagoon
What: The ice rink at Humboldt Park Lagoon offers ice-skating all day until 10 p.m. once the rink opens for the season. The rink is maintained by volunteers from the Humboldt Park Bay View Ice Skaters.
Where: 3000 S. Howell Ave., Milwaukee
Click here to learn more, see skating hours/openings or sign up to volunteer.
Christmas and winter markets
Wauwatosa Holiday Market
What: "The Wauwatosa Holiday market offers authentic traditional food mirroring what you would have in Europe. You will enjoy a unique shopping experience, magical family-friendly events, and live entertainment." Admission is free. The market is open Dec. 6 through 17. Hours are Monday - Thursday 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday - Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: 7735 Harwood Ave., Wauwatosa
Click here to learn more about the Wauwatosa Holiday Market.
Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market on Capitol Drive
What: The Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market takes place at the Table (former location of Capitol Drive Lutheran Church) every Saturday from Nov. 4 through April 13, including around the holidays. The market will feature 40 to 45 vendors on a rotating basis.
Where: 5305 W. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee
Visit the Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market Facebook page for more information on the market and its vendors.
Waukesha Winter Farmer's Market
What: The Waukesha Winter Farmer's Market takes place every Saturday from Nov. 4 to March 30. Hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market is spread out across two locations, which are walking distance from each other: Martha Merrell’s Books and Plowshare Fair Trade Marketplace.
Where: Martha Merrell’s Books, 231 W. Main St., and Plowshare Fair Trade Marketplace, 219 W. Main St.
Visit the Waukesha Winter Farmer's Market Facebook page to learn more.
More: Here's where you can find winter farmers markets in Milwaukee and the suburbs
More: Looking for Christmas tree farms to cut down your own? Here are 10 around Milwaukee.
Journal Sentinel reporter Elaine Rewolinski contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin family fun during Christmas, holiday season 2023
