Happy Holidays? Not For Canada: The Majority Of Canadians Prefer Merry Christmas To Other Greetings

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, or Happy Christmas?

Thousands of giddy greetings from the friends of the desire for a holiday season is enough to drive some to take a swig of eggnog.

The majority of Canadians are firmly in the field of Merry Christmas, according to the results of the latest Ipsos Reid poll conducted for Postmedia News and Global Television.

Of the respondents, the vast majority of Canadians, about 73%, to defend the traditional greeting, saying it is the "original meaning and purpose of the party" in this country.

Canadians seem to be steadfast in their traditional tastes, his attitude similar to the findings, when asked the question last year.  I think what were seeing here is an interesting revival in which Canadians, many of them do not feel they are being offensive to someone if they call it the Christmas season, said Ipsos Reid pollster John Wright.  

Because most people in this country are Christian, most people in this country believe that its Christmas.  Meanwhile, 25% of Canadians say they prefer the more inclusive holidays in the description of the holiday year, in order to be more sensitive towards other religions and cultures.

 Canadian middle-aged and older - 73% of 35 - to 54-year-old, and 80% of people over 55 years - are more likely to have a preference for the traditional Christmas Time period, which Wright said not surprising.

But young Canadians are also calling for the holiday season, and significantly more than last year.

Sixty-six percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 34 prefer the phrase Christmas season, up 10 points over last year.

"Once again, I think there's a bit of a rebirth here," said Wright. "Who knows what's going on, except to say that young people are forging a niche."

However, younger Canadians are also more likely than older Canadians prefer the more multicultural nickname of the "holiday season."

Thirty-four percent of 18 to 34, prefer the holiday season run, while only 27% of middle age and 20% of Canadians over the agreement, according to the survey.

Across the provinces, Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents, 80 percent more likely to favor the Christmas period.

British Columbia come in a close second with 78 percent, followed by 77 percent of the people of Alberta and Ontario, and 74 percent of people living in the Atlantic provinces.

Quebecers, however, are less likely to prefer the term Christmas season and is more likely to favor the use of the holiday season.

Sixty-one percent of Quebec residents prefer Christmas, while 39 percent of the side of the holiday season.

As the holiday season means to them, a small majority of 56 per cent of Canadians think that Christmas is a time for family, up three points from last year.

For many Canadians, Wright said, Christmas is like Thanksgiving, a time to go home to reunite with his family.

"It is not religion," said Wright. "Reason number 1 is really about family."

Fourteen percent that Christmas is a time for exchanging gifts this season over last year's nine percent.

Nineteen percent that Christmas is a time to reflect on the birth of Christ, while 12 percent view the party as only "a good holiday season in the middle of winter."

Women are more likely to view Christmas as a time for family, with 59 percent, compared with 52 percent of men.

The men, 15 percent, twice as likely as women, at eight percent, to view Christmas as a good holiday in winter sad.

Thirty-five percent of Atlantic Canadians see Christmas as a time to reflect on the birth of Jesus Christ. The rest of Canada not far behind, but only six per cent of Quebecers agree that Wright said it may have to do with Montreal's multicultural population.

The online survey of 1,021 Canadians from a panel of online Ipsos Reid was conducted between December 14 and 19. The poll has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.