by Mary Rose Corkery
A study found 44% of Americans said they’re not gathering for Christmas with their loved ones, a Civic Science infographic said.
More respondents in December reported canceling in-person Christmas than in October, the study’s infographic said. In October, 36% responded that they still planned in-person gatherings, but that number dropped to 30% just before the holiday.
While Americans have become increasingly pessimistic about the prospect of celebrating Christmas in person with friends and family, 30% still say they 'definitely' expect to do so: https://t.co/ED4VVU0tkU pic.twitter.com/7IxdTIfTp6
— CivicScience (@CivicScience) December 23, 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discouraged Americans from Christmas and holiday travel due to the pandemic in a Dec. 2 telephone press conference.
“The best thing for Americans to do in the upcoming holiday season is to stay at home and not travel,” Dr. Henry Walke, director of the Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections (DPEI) in the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, said in the briefing.
Americans are also divided over celebrating Christmas in-person by region, the study reported. A fourth of Westerners said they would “definitely” celebrate Christmas in person, compared to 35% of Southerners who responded similarly, according to the infographic. Thirty percent of respondents in the Northeast and 31% of Midwesterners said they plan to celebrate Christmas in-person.
The survey suggests Americans are less interested in celebrating New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in-person. The study found 64% of participants said they don’t plan to gather for the New Year’s holidays.
The study was conducted in three parts, asking about Christmas plans, Christmas plans based on respondents’ region of residence, and New Year’s plans.
The study on general Christmas plans was done between Oct. 20 and Dec. 21 with a two percent margin of error, and 12,463 people participated, Civic Science Chief Brand Officer Arnie Bolewitz told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The study of Christmas plans based on regions was done between Dec. 1 and Dec. 21 with 3,450 participants, while the study on New Year’s plans was done between Oct.20 and Dec. 21 with 11,555 participants, according to the infographic.
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Mary Rose Corkery is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
