Three Quarters (73%) of Canadians Defend Term
"Christmas Season" (Up 2 Points), While One Quarter (27%) Prefer
More Inclusive "Holiday Season" (Down 2 Points)

Toronto, ON - The debate between using the word "Christmas" and a more inclusive reference to the "holidays" is becoming an annual tradition in Canada, but most Canadians appear to remain firm in their defence of the more traditional moniker, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Postmedia News and Global Television.

Three quarters (73%) of Canadians believe that `we should refer to the end of the year as the Christmas Season because that is the original meaning and purpose of the holiday' in Canada, up 2 points since last year. However, one quarter of Canadians adopt the opposite stance, maintaining that `we should refer to the end of the year as the Holiday Season because not everybody celebrates Christmas and it's important to be inclusive of other religions and cultures.

Two thirds of Canadians aged 18 to 34 (66%) prefer the term Christmas Season, up 10 points since last year. However, they're still less likely than those aged 35 to 54 (73%) or 55+ (80%) to prefer this traditional name. Conversely, younger people are more likely (34%) than middle-aged (27%) or older (20%) Canadians to prefer the use of the term Holiday Season.

Residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (80%) are most inclined to prefer the term Christmas, followed by British Columbians (78%), Albertans (77%), Ontarians (77%), Atlantic Canadians (74%) and Quebecers (61%). Conversely, Quebecers (39%) have the highest propensity to prefer the term Holiday Season compared to those living in Atlantic Canada (26%), Alberta (23%), Ontario (23%), British Columbia (22%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (20%).

While a majority (56%) of Canadians believe that the most important thing about Christmas is that is it a `time for family' (down 3 points), more Canadians (14%) than last year (9%) appear to believe it is simply `a time for sharing and gift giving'. Two in ten (19%) think the most important aspect is that it's `a time to reflect on the birth of Jesus Christ' (unchanged), while 12% think it's just `a nice festive season in the middle of the winter'.

Women (59%) are more likely than men (52%) to believe that it's a time for family, while men (15%) are twice as likely as women (8%) to think it's simply a nice festive season in the middle of the winter.

Atlantic Canadians (35%) are the most likely to believe that Christmas is most about the birth of Jesus Christ, while those living in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (31%), Alberta (28%), Ontario (21%), British Columbia (15%) and especially Quebec (6%) are less likely. In contrast, Quebecers (21%) are most likely to think its primary role is a time for sharing and gift giving, followed by those in British Columbia (17%), Atlantic Canada (14%), Ontario (12%), Alberta (7%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (5%).

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between December 14 and 19, 2011, on behalf of Postmedia News and Global Television. For this survey, a sample of 1,021 Canadians who season from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid, Public Affairs
416.324.2002
[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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