FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Twice as
many say Merry Christmas as say Happy Holidays
Few say Season's Greetings
TORONTO DECEMBER
18th, 2014 - In
a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 1001
Torontonians 18 years of age and older, 6-in-10 use the seasonal greeting
"Merry Christmas" most often (60%), compared to just 3-in-10 who use
"Happy Holidays" (29%). Just one twentieth say "Season's
Greetings" (5%). Saying Merry Christmas is most common among the oldest
(72%), those in mid income groups ($60K to $100K - 67%), in Scarborough (69%),
the least educated (70%), those who voted for Doug Ford in the recent mayoral
election (71%) and PC voters provincially (75%). Those least likely to say
Merry Christmas include residents of the downtown (48% Merry Christmas, 40%
Happy Holidays), the best educated (post grad - 49%) and Olivia Chow voters
(41%). Those who do not celebrate Christmas are most likely to say Happy
Holidays (54%) and less likely to say Merry Christmas (20%). These
non-celebrants are also more likely to say Season's Greetings (10%) than
others.
More celebrate Christmas than say it
As
many as more than 8-in-10 celebrate Christmas in Toronto (86%), despite the
fact fewer will say Merry Christmas (60%). Just 1-in-7 do not celebrate the
holiday. Not celebrating is common to the youngest (18%), the least wealthy
(24%), residents of North York and East York (19% each), those with some
college (19%), and Chow voters (19%).
Christmas mostly about family, not religion or shopping
Most
Torontonians say Christmas is mostly about family (59%), rather than about
religion (19%) or shopping and parties (15%). Family is especially important at
the holidays to the mid aged (45 to 54 - 66%) and the oldest (64%) and
provincial Liberals (64%). Those who see religion at the centre of Christmas
are most likely to be the oldest (23%), mid income groups ($40K to $60K - 26%),
the least educated (24%), Ford voters (25%) and provincial PC voters (23%).
Those who do note celebrate Christmas are equally likely to say it is about
family (34%) or shopping and parties (37%). Poorer neighbourhoods and those
getting poorer are more likely to say Christmas is about shopping and parties
(20% and 22%, respectively).
6-in-10 have not finished Christmas shopping, 2-in-10 haven't
started
Just
more than a third have finished their Christmas shopping (37%) and 6-in-10 have
not started or have not finished (60%), and this is made up of 4-in-10 who have
started but not finished (40%) and one fifth who haven't even started (20%).
One twentieth of those who celebrate Christmas do no Christmas shopping (4%).
Those who have not started shopping tend to be mid aged (35 to 44 - 24%), lower
income (less than $40K - 31%), those who use transit most often (25%), te least
educated (32%), renters (25%) and in neighbourhoods that are less wealthy (30%)
than others or are getting less wealthy (25%).
Almost half will shop online this Christmas
Close
to one half of Torontonians who celebrate Christmas will do (or have done)
Christmas shopping online (46%), and this is characteristic especially of the
youngest (54%), the wealthiest (60%), those who drive to work or school (50%),
resident of the downtown (57%) and Etobicoke (51%), university graduates (52%)
and post grads (60%), those with children under 18 (50%), Tory (52%) and Chow
voters (55%).
"If there is a war on
Christmas, Christmas won, and twice as many say Merry Christmas as use the
closest secular alternative. The diversity of Toronto is understated in the
proportion who celebrate Christmas; it is clear many non-religious people,
including non-Christians, celebrate the holiday, if not religiously or with
family, at least in shopping and parties," said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne
Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum
Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416)
960-9603.
