My Latest Blog

FOX News Poll: Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

Do you say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

For some people it's a dilemma: 21 percent say they feel obligated to say "Happy Holidays" -- incorporating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and, perhaps, the Winter Solstice or the Seinfeldian Festivus into their seasonal hello.

But they are still a considerable minority. A full 77 percent of Americans say they say "Merry Christmas," according to a FOX News poll released Tuesday.

Democrats (28 percent), urbanites (28 percent) and Northeasterners (25 percent) are among those more likely to say they feel pressured to use a generic "Happy Holidays" greeting.

On the flip side, Republicans (87 percent), regular churchgoers (82 percent) and rural Americans (83 percent) are more likely to say "Merry Christmas," the poll found.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

If a present you receive this year looks vaguely familiar, it could be because you've seen it before — as a gift you gave in the past.

In these tough economic times re-gifting, the art of giving someone a gift you were given previously, is on the rise.

Some 19 percent — about one in five Americans — say it is likely they will re-gift something this holiday season, up from 12 percent in 2005, according to the FOX News poll.

Re-gifting has broad appeal across income groups, although those living in households making less than $50,000 dollars a year are somewhat more likely to re-purpose a gift: 24 percent compared to 17 percent of those living in households with incomes of $50,000 or more.

Even 19 percent of those living in households earning $100,000 dollars a year or more say they will re-gift something this year.

Women (21 percent) are slightly more likely than men (16 percent) to say they will re-gift.

Opinion Dynamics Corp. conducted the national telephone poll of 900 registered voters for FOX News from Dec. 9 to Dec. 10. The poll has a 3-point margin of error.

Nearly half overall, 45 percent, say they plan to spend less on gifts this year — more than six times as many as plan to spend more (7 percent). A 48 percent plurality say they plan to spend about the same amount this year compared to last.

There is little difference among income groups, as 47 percent of those in households with income below $50,000 and 45 percent of those in higher income households ($50,000+) say they plan to spend less this year. Similarly, 7 percent of lower income and 6 percent of higher income Americans plan to spend more on gifts.

Democrats (55 percent) are significantly more likely than Republicans (35 percent) and independents (39 percent) to say they will spend less.