Christmas traditions hold strong for Canadians

Christmas traditions arent changing much over the years, a new poll released Thursday suggests. Most Canadians still plan to decorate their houses and eat a roast turkey for dinner, according to a survey of 1,505 Canadians, conducted by Abacus Data this week for QMI Agency. Most Canadians are still very traditional when it comes to Christmas, although the majority arent celebrating it as a religious holiday, Abacus Data CEO David Coletto said. Of the 1,346 people surveyed who said they planned to celebrate Christmas, 41% said they celebrate it as a religious holiday, with 50% celebrating it as a secular holiday and 9% unsure. More than three-quarters of those celebrating Christmas plan to decorate their houses, and are most likely to roast a Christmas turkey to mark the occasion. Another thing that hasnt budged much over the years, even as the countrys ethnic makeup continues to change, is the way we greet each other over the holidays. Merry Christmas is still the preferred expression to greet people over the course of the season. The survey also asked Canadians to name one famous person they would choose to invite to Christmas dinner. Answers were spread out and ranged from political (Barack Obama, 5%, and Stephen Harper, 2%), to pop-culture (Celine Dion and Oprah Winfrey, 2%), to religious (Jesus, 2%, and the Dalai Lama, 1%). The survey has a margin of error of 2.6%, 19 times out of 20. QMI Agency

Christmas
JEAN-PIErrE fErLAND GOvErNOr GENErAL DAvID JOHNsTON

Q. If you could choose ONE famous person to invite over to your house for Christmas dinner, who would you choose?
Largest words mentioned most frequently

Q. This holiday season, will you be spending more, less or about the Merry Christmas! same as last year?
9% More 10%

About the same Less I dont exchange gifts

6% 6% Unsure 2% 4% 30% 29%

54% 52%

BArBrA sTrEIsAND

Q. Will you decorate your house this Christmas season?

Yes No
16% 17% 84% 83%

Q. Which of the following greetings are you most likely to use when you greet someone at this time of year?
Merry Christmas Happy Holidays Seasons Greetings Neither
17% 20% 5% 3% 5% 6% 76% 72%

Merry Christmas!

QUEEN ELIZABETH
NICOLAs CAGE NEIL deGrAssE TYsON

Merry Christmas!

2011 2012

DONT KNOW
NEIL PATrICK HArrIs

DANIEL ALfrEDssON

Q. Which of the following are you most likely to eat for Christmas dinner?
Roast turkey Roast beef 2% Roast pork 1% Vegetarian meal 2% Roast chicken 4% Roast lamb 1% Something else 14%
75%

Source: Abacus Data

of Canadians are celebrating Christmas

90%

In 2011, 92% of Canadians celebrated Christmas

of Canadians will be travelling out of town this holiday season

21%

Only