It's considered the most wonderful time of the year to many, but for different reasons.聽
For some, the winter holiday聽is a time for festivities and fun, while others聽feel聽the season is primarily for聽religious celebration. Regardless of why they celebrate, however, a new study finds that four out of five Canadians (82 per cent) say that they prefer to call the season 鈥淐hristmas.鈥澛�
Conducted by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute, the study聽finds that for most Canadians, "Christmas is a time for festivities and fun, where they鈥檒l get together with their families for dinner (89 per cent), set up a tree (77 per cent) and hang stockings (57 per cent)."聽
However, many respondents feel that the true meaning of Christmas has been lost. Report authors note that in聽1988,聽鈥�27 per cent of Canadians said this season was primarily a religious celebration.鈥� Today,聽just one in 10 say the same. In addition, the study highlights that聽Canadians long for the days of old, away from the commercialization of today.聽
The study found that three-quarters of Canadians are at least excited about the holidays, while one quarter is not looking forward to it. Also,聽the study found that lower-income Canadians are more likely to feel negatively about the season.聽
The number of Canadians who聽attend a religious service for Christmas this year is also half of what it was in Angus Reid鈥檚 1995 Christmas survey 鈥� down to聽26 per cent聽from 53 per cent. However, nine in 10 respondents said that they聽will celebrate Christmas this year,聽but one in five chooses to refer to the time of year as聽the 鈥淗oliday Season鈥�.聽
While the majority of respondents call聽the season Christmas, it means different things聽to different people. For some, it is mostly a religious and holy time, while others view it as a period of secular celebration.聽For more than half of Canadians (53 per cent), the study found that it is considered,聽"an interval of non-denominational festivities with friends and family."聽
One in 10 considers the season to be primarily a religious celebration, while one-in-three say that it is both, equally.聽
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