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"It's the hap-happiest season of all."

In some places more than others, perhaps.

A survey of 1.3 million Americans led to an article in last week's journal Science in which researchers ranked 50 states and the District of Columbia by happiness levels.

The South fared pretty well, with Louisiana No. 1 and Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, South Carolina and Alabama also joining the top 10.

North Carolina was No. 12.

New York was last, with Connecticut, New Jersey, Michigan, California, Illinois and Massachusetts also ranking near the bottom.

This created all kinds of chatter about how and why, with speculation focusing on weather and politics.

Who wouldn't be happier sunning himself in Florida than digging out of snowdrifts in Michigan?

Of course, it was also quickly noted on radio call-in shows that Blue State refers to more than chilly climate. Those liberals up in Massachusetts and out in California have made such a mess of things that naturally folks are gloomy -- a narrative that certainly defies the "angry conservative" image the media elites create when describing denizens of Red(neck) States down South.

I'd have to agree that a lot of right-wingers of my acquaintance have their undershorts in a knot over the news from Washington lately. But then, that doesn't mean they can't still get blissful over a fishing line and a cold beer.

Besides, Hawaii is No. 2 on the happiness list and it lies to the left of the Left Coast, both on the map and maybe politically, too.

Of course, anybody who lives in Hawaii ought to be happy. Life is heavenly on the islands, and it's easy to ignore the nonsense in the nation's capital under the spell of soothing tropical breezes.

The subject becomes more interesting, or enlightening, when you compare the happiest states to the most religious states as calculated by a Gallup Poll of 350,000 Americans earlier this year. Gallup asked, "Is religion an important part of your daily life?"

There was quite a bit of overlap: 11 states showed up in the top 20 on both lists, suggesting a correlation between happiness and religion. They were Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, South Carolina, Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Arkansas, Georgia and Oklahoma.

Now you're talking about Red States.

At the other end, eight states appeared in the bottom 20 on both rankings: New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Nevada and Washington. All blue.

The connection between religious faith and happiness has been drawn before.

The BBC cited a remarkable study last year, reporting that "data from thousands of Europeans revealed higher levels of 'life satisfaction' in believers."

University of California, Riverside psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky, noting on her Psychology Today blog that, "I don't have a religious or spiritual bone in my body," nevertheless wrote that "a growing body of psychological science is suggesting that religious folks are happier, healthier and recover better after traumas than nonreligious ones."

Michael E. Nielsen, a professor of psychology at Georgia Southern University, points to possible explanations:

l Social support -- people are generally happier when they're around others who provide a support network, as in a church, and feeling closer to God is a related idea.

l Firm beliefs -- a sense of purpose and what's important in life adds to happiness and satisfaction.

l Religion itself, especially as it involves doing positive things, is fulfilling for many people.

That makes sense. We need look no further than the traditions of Christmas.

(The religion survey makes no distinctions among Christians, Jews, Muslims or followers of other faith systems, by the way.)

This is the time of year when it's considered more blessed to give than to receive, when people tend to increase their contributions to benevolent organizations like The Salvation Army, help families in need and remember the call for peace on earth, good will to all mankind.

Not that people who aren't religious don't support charities, lend a hand to the less fortunate or share in the joy of the season through family gatherings, merry-making and celebrations. But surely there's extra satisfaction in experiencing the special glow of the divine at Christmas for those who embrace the day's holy significance.

Whatever your source of holiday happiness: Cheers!