It takes more than a holiday parking ticket from The City to get Buffalonians down. In a search for “America’s Merriest Cities”, Buffalo has come in a high ranking second, according to an article in The Atlantic Cities. In order to collect statistics, colleagues at the Martin Prosperity Institute, decided to analyze key factors from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas – factors that helped turn the mean old Grinch into a merry old soul. The fun exercise took note of cities that ranked highest in the following departments:
“Grinch Conversion Index”
-Population density: “greater amount of merry people within an area”
-Costume rental stores per capita: “the Grinch can get his Santa disguise”
-Selected retail outlets per capita: “more presents for the Grinch to steal and eventually return”
-Meat markets per capita: “for the roast beast”
-Musicians, singers, music directors, and composers per capita: “to first annoy, then touch the Grinch’s heart with singing”
-Night-time light: “to draw the Grinch’s attention”
-Hospitals per capita: “for the Grinch when his heart grows ‘three sizes that day’ “
From all of us at Buffalo Rising, here’s wishing all Buffalonians*, living both near and far, a very merry holiday.
*And to our close friends in Canada – thanks for passing this along Lorne Opler