Three in Five Americans Most Look Forward to Spending Time with Friends and Family in the Holiday Season

NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For almost everyone, the holidays bring out both good and bad feelings. Most people have that one thing they dislike and the one thing they look forward to each year. On the positive side, almost three in five Americans (58%) say they most look forward to spending time with friends and family during the holiday season. Fewer numbers say they most look forward to holiday dinners and parties (8%), finding and giving presents (7%), putting up holiday decorations (4%), watching television specials and hearing holiday songs on the radio (4%) and getting presents (2%) while one in ten (11%) say they do not look forward to the upcoming holidays.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100517/NY06256LOGO )

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,499 adults surveyed online between November 7 and 14, 2011 by Harris Interactive.

On the other side, three in ten Americans (30%) say the one thing they dislike most about the holidays is spending too much money while for one-quarter (23%) it is the holiday shopping crowds. Less than one in ten say what they dislike most about the holidays is putting up and taking down holiday decorations (6%), television specials and holiday songs (6%), finding and giving presents (5%), eating and drinking too much (4%), and spending time with friends and family (1%). But for almost one in five U.S. adults (18%) there is nothing wrong with the holidays and they say they like everything about the holiday season.

Holiday Songs
For one month each year the airwaves and stores are filled with holiday songs. Some are ones people look forward to and others make people cringe and often the same song has both reactions. Topping the list of the songs people most look forward to each holiday season is White Christmas, followed by Silent Night and then Oh Holy Night. Rounding out the top five are Jingle Bells and Little Drummer Boy. Tied for sixth on the list of songs people look forward to are The Christmas Song and Winter Wonderland, followed by Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer, Carol of the Bells and then Silver Bells.

By the end of the season, the one song people wish they could never hear again is Jingle Bells, followed by Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, White Christmas and Jingle Bell Rock. Rounding out the top ten are Little Drummer Boy, Feliz Navidad, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, the Twelve Days of Christmas and Silent Night. Interestingly, five songs are on both of these lists.

TV Specials and Holiday Movies
Besides the songs, there are also the animated specials and holiday movies. When it comes to favorite holiday animated special, three are bunched on top: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (23%), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (22%) and A Charlie Brown Christmas (21%). Further down the list of favorites are Frosty the Snowman (9%) and The Year Without a Santa Claus (3%). One in five (22%) say they have another animated favorite.

For holiday movies, one doesn't stand out as a winner. One in five each say A Christmas Story (20%) and It's a Wonderful Life (19%) are their favorites while 16% each say Miracle on 34th Street and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Less than one in ten (8%) say The Santa Clause is their favorite and one in five (20%) say another holiday movie is their favorite.

So What?
Ah holidays; they bring out the best in people but they also have the ability to bring out the worst. Whether it is struggling with fellow shoppers to get the last of something in the sale bin on one hand or gathering the family for an annual showing of Rudolph on the other hand, the holidays really do have something for everyone. In fact one person's favorite can be what someone else dreads. But with economic issues looming over the holidays, hopefully the good can outweigh the bad for most people.

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100 percent due to rounding
Note: * = less than 0.5% and "-" indicates no response

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100 percent due to rounding

"=" indicates a tie; n/a indicates not on list that year
Dropped off the list from 2010 – I'll Be Home for Christmas (was 8), Joy to the World (was 9), Jingle Bell Rock (was 10)

"=" indicates a tie; n/a indicates not on list that year
Dropped off the list from 2010 – I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (was =4) and Alvin & The Chipmunks (was =8)

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Methodology
This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States between November 7 and 14, 2011 among 2,499 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of Harris Interactive.

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Q865, 870, 873, 875, 880, 885

The Harris Poll® #128, December 14, 2011
By Regina A. Corso, SVP, Harris Poll, Public Relations and Youth Research, Harris Interactive

About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American and European offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us – and our clients – stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

Press Contact:

Corporate Communications
Harris Interactive
212-539-9600
[email protected]

SOURCE Harris Interactive

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