The Holidays in B.C. are a Time to Believe...and Eat

Vancouver, BC -- The holidays are upon us once more and if you live in British Columbia, it is a time to eat, be merry and believe in that old holiday spirit. When asked if they believe in Santa Claus, 40% of respondents across British Columbia say that in fact they do. This is one of the findings of a fun holiday survey conducted in British Columbia on Ipsos Reid's Voice of the West panel.

Amongst his believers, Ol' Saint Nick is pulling in approval ratings that would leave Christy Clark and Stephen Harper greener than the Grinch with envy. British Columbians give Santa's job performance an 85% approval rating (59% strongly approve, 26% somewhat approve).

"It seems that many people in British Columbia have put Santa Claus on their 'nice' list. Perhaps they are hoping that the feeling will be reciprocated," says Catherine Dawson, Senior Vice President with Ipsos Reid. "Our study reveals that people view the holidays as a time for gathering with family, friends, and enjoying all that the season has to offer."

It is fitting that a portly man in a red suit should be synonymous with the holiday season - 'tis the season to eat and be jolly. Seven in ten British Columbians (71%) indicate that cooking a big meal was one holiday tradition they will continue to adhere to. And a slew of seasonal goodies and treats will be part of the feasting. In British Columbia, shortbread (34%) and eggnog (17%) are the top two favourite holiday treats. And Santa won't be left out in all the festive holiday eating - 18% of B.C. residents say they plan on leaving milk and cookies out for Santa.

Perhaps those families will be sitting down together to enjoy those treats while watching an old favourite movie. The poll reveals that from a list of Christmas-themed movies, the top five all-time favourites in the province are as follows:

1. Miracle on 34th Street named as the top pick by 14% of respondents
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas claiming 11%
3. White Christmas with 9%
4. A Christmas Story with 9%
5. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation with 8%

The fun-spirited poll also uncovered that some traditions are enduring despite technology advances - 63% of respondents say that sending cards is one tradition they intend to continue doing.

Also enduring and endearing are the sentiments attached to the giving and receiving of gifts. "In general terms, many women named gifts of jewelry as the best gift they ever received whereas many men listed electronic gadgets, although many look back with great nostalgia to gifts received as a child," concludes Dawson. "Must be why so many still believe in Santa."

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid study fielded from December 16 to 20, 2011. This online survey of 2,414 adult British Columbians, 18 years and older, was conducted using Ipsos Reid's proprietary "Voice of the West Interactive Forum" - an online panel of more than 6,500 British Columbians who have been randomly recruited to match the overall characteristics of the adult residents of the province. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online studies of this nature, however, an unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 2.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Catherine Dawson
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid
(778) 373-5003
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey- based market research group.

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