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Poll: Americans Prefer 'Merry Christmas'
Rasmussen Reports released a poll today on Americans' attitudes towards holiday greetings in stores. Poll respondents were asked to choose between the traditional "Merry Christmas" greeting and the more modern "Happy Holidays." Sixty-seven percent of respondents preferred to be wished a "Merry Christmas," versus 26% who preferred "Happy Holidays," nearly a three to one margin.Americans of almost every subset in the poll preferred the traditional Christmas greeting by large margins and with very little variation. Men favored it 69-24%, women 65-27%. Married people favored it 69-24%, unmarried 64-29%. All age groups gave "Merry Christmas" over 60% support and all but the lowest income group did as well; with the three middle income groups giving it over 70%.
The only groups within which significant variation was seen were political identity and race. Republicans favored "Merry Christmas" by 88-10% while their Democratic counterparts favored it less enthusiastically, 57-36%. Third party supporters tracked with Democrats, giving the greeting 57-31% support. Whites were more likely to prefer the greeting than blacks by 72-50%.
The poll also asked respondents whether they planned to attend a Christian church service on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Overall, 57% of respondents did with senior citizens (66%), women (65%), blacks (63%), and married people (61%), planning to attend church in the highest percentages. Men were the only subset not planning to attend church services in the majority. Still, 49% of men did say that they would attend.
The results will most certainly be trumpeted by various "take back the holidays" movements that seek to buck recent politically correct trends. Several of these groups sell buttons for shoppers to wear with phrases like "It's okay to wish me a Merry Christmas." and "Just Say Merry Christmas!" printed on them.
However, last Christmas season parent companies representing twelve of the nation's top 20 retailers responded to requests for clarification on their official policies regarding seasonal greetings that employees are allowed or encouraged to use in their stores. Most said that "Merry Christmas" was allowed and in some cases encouraged to be used as a seasonal greeting. At the same time most of the retailers sought to point out that they respected the broad diversity of their customer base and welcomed shoppers of all faiths and traditions. These results, while unscientific, tend to belie the belief that there is an organized effort to remove traditional expressions of Christmas from the shopping season.
Recent Comments
(Page 1 of 1)Denise Williams10:14AMNov 27th 2007
well, I'll go look at that poll in detail, but yeah, Christian is the majority in this county and I wouldn't expect much else for a result in that pretty obvious poll.
WalMart and other retailers are not trying to offend anyone. We're a diverse county with some celebrating Hanukkah in December as well. Ramadan was very early this year. Retailers want to wish their customers well and can't get specific without offending someone. If I go to my local convenience store on Dec. 25, they can wish everyone a Merry Christmas.
I don't believe this is political correctness per se. I'm a Christian and work for an international company in a very diverse area (Philadelphia). In December I send generic greeting cards to my co-workers. I surely cannot remember when the fall holidays are for everyone - or if everyone celebrates whatever holiday! Just recently some have celebrated Dinali and Ramadan. Hanukkah is coming up shortly. They will wish me Happy Holidays as well. Some Arab co-workers are Christians. Some Indians are Christian Some Jews have mixed families. Some African Americans celebrate Christmas AND Kwanzaa. I don't know all over their back stories - so how would the $8/hr cashier at the Wawa?
It's a fun time of year for many cultures - most of which are represented in this country.
So Happy Holidays to all you!
Mary K. N.1:49PMNov 27th 2007
There is an organized effort to ban Christmas from the public forum, just as there was an organized effort to ban Christmas from the schools.
The retailers, now, stress that their employees can wish people "Merry Christmas" because, for years, the employees had been forbidden to utter those words.
How clueless can this writer be?
Ashley2:44AMNov 28th 2007
Does everything have to be scrutinized to be politically correct? Christmas offends some people? Okay, next “happy holidays” will offend some people. After all, not all people are necessarily happy during the holidays? Then, we say holiday and people will complain that to many have to work on that day. So, we won’t say holiday. What will we be left with _____day? I for one do not want to offend anyone but you can carry anything to extremes. Christmas does not have to be celebrated as a religious day. It is an American day. People of all creeds, color, etc. should embrace the occasion and celebrate it as whatever it means to them. I really don’t see where jolly bearded Santa with a flying sled pulled by deer justifies a religious holiday anyway. Christmas is what ever you choose to make it!!!!!!!!!
S Burchette9:21AMDec 22nd 2007
When all of those "Various Cultures" came to the US of A, they were coming to a CHRISTIAN nation. And it's disgusting that they think we should change our traditions for 18% of people who are non-christians, considering that 82% of the Population is Christian. If majority rules, then it should be "Merry Christmas" being used. If others want to say Happy Holidays, its not a crime, but don't force others who wish to use a more holy greeting to say Happy Holidays.
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momma bear7:47AMNov 27th 2007
I'm curious to know what part of the country this poll was taken. I am a Christian but I would never wish my Jewish friends a Merry Christmas out of fear of offending them. I wish them a Happy Channukah. That is what they are celebrating.
If our nation is truly a nation of all faiths, then why do Christmas decorations pop up in the stores before Halloween? Why not snow flakes?
I do like the idea of the t-shirts. They would give me a chuckle. And not because I want to "take back Christmas". Although I would like to take it back from the retailers and make the focus religious rather than retail. I wonder how many people who claim to celebrate Christmas could really tell you the whole story of Jesus' birth? Merry Christmas!