A growing majority of Canadians say they prefer the greeting “Merry Christmas” over more generic seasonal phrases, according to a new national survey released this week. The poll, conducted by Research Co., found that support for the Christmas specific greeting has reached its highest level in six years.
The survey shows that 67 percent of respondents said they favour “Merry Christmas,” an increase of five percentage points compared to last year. Meanwhile, 18 percent said they prefer “Happy Holidays,” down six points from 2024. The remaining respondents said they were unsure or had no preference. No other greeting options were included in the survey.
Political affiliation appeared to influence preferences. Among respondents who voted Conservative in the most recent federal election, 79 percent said they preferred “Merry Christmas.” That figure dropped to 64 percent among Liberal voters and 51 percent among those who supported the New Democratic Party, according to the polling results.
Beyond greetings, the survey also explored Canadians’ holiday food and drink preferences. Turkey ranked as the most popular festive dish, enjoyed by 82 percent of respondents. Brussels sprouts proved more popular than eggnog, with 59 percent saying they enjoy the vegetable compared to 55 percent for the traditional holiday drink. Mulled wine ranked lowest, with only 36 percent expressing a liking for it.
The poll also asked parents and adults about beliefs around Santa Claus. The most common response suggested that children should be told the truth around age 10, selected by 17 percent of respondents. Age eight followed closely at 12 percent. Meanwhile, eight percent said children should be allowed to believe in Santa into their teenage years, while 11 percent felt it was appropriate to explain the truth by age five or earlier. Research Co. conducted the online survey between December 7 and December 9 among a representative sample of 1,002 adults across Canada. The company reported a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.