Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/761508
11 MaltaToday Xmas Survey maltatoday, SUNDAY, 11 DECEMBER 2016 of the Christmas season for their chil- dren. "Christmas tends to be more fun for those kids who believe in Santa com- pared to those who do not," he said. "It may be unnecessary to spoil the excite- ment for the child until they outgrow the belief." Younger parents keener on Santa myth The MaltaToday survey shows that younger generations are more likely to peddle the Santa Claus myth. While 64% of under-34 year old parents and 61% of those aged between 35 and 54 tell their children that Santa exists, only 53% of those over 55 do likewise. Those aged under 34 are also the least likely not to have ever believed in Santa Claus. In fact while over one fourth of over 35 year olds have never believed in Santa Claus, the percentage of those who never believed in Santa falls to just 9% among under 34s. The survey shows that education does not play a big role in the perpetu- ation of the Santa myth. Respondents with a university level of education are as likely to tell their children that Santa is real as respondents with a secondary level of education. Scepticism is strong- er among those with a primary level of education, but this could be attributed more to the prevalence of older people in this age group. People with a university level of edu- cation are just a bit more likely not to have ever believed in Santa – compared to those with a lower education. Uni- versity educated respondents were also more likely to stop believing in Santa before the age of nine. But those who followed a post secondary non-univer- sity course were the most likely to be- lieve in Santa after the age of nine. Santa: an inherited myth? But more than age and education it is their own childhood experience which determines whether parents tell their children that Santa is real or not. In fact while those who never believed in Santa are the least likely to tell their children that he is real (36%), those who stopped believing in Santa at an earlier age are also less likely to tell their children that Santa is real than those who continued believing for a longer time. While only 50% of those who stopped believing in Santa before they were eight tell their children that he is real, 67% of those who continued to believe in Santa after they were 10 years of age are now encouraging their children to continue believing the same magical lie. It also suggests that the late discovery that they had been deceived by their parents has not dissuaded them from doing the same to their own children. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Respondents with a university level of education are as likely to tell their children that Santa is real as respondents with a secondary level of education Never believed Age 4 or less Age 5-7 Age 8-9 Age 10 Over 10 All 22.4% 1.7% 17.6% 25.7% 27.4% 5.2% 18-34 9.3% 4.7% 32.6% 32.6% 20.8% 0 35-54 28.2% 0 15.5% 23.9% 23.9% 8.5% 55+ 26.6% 1.6% 6.3% 20.3% 37.5% 7.7% University 28.6% 4.8% 23.8% 33.3% 9.5% 0 Post-Secondary 22.2% 0 11.1% 11.1% 48.1% 7.5% Secondary 24.7% 1.2% 15.3% 29.4% 25.9% 3.5% Primary 27.3% 0 4.5% 13.6% 36.4% 18.2% At what age did you stop believing in Santa? Do you tell your children Santa Claus exists? According to respondents who say they never believed in Santa Claus According to respondents who say they stopped believing after 8 years of age According to respondents who say they continued believing after 8 years of age No 64.1% No 50% No 33.1% Yes 33.9% Yes 50% Yes 66.9% you Claus for Christmas? evision and beg their parents to buy it for them. If they can't find it in the shop they turn to the internet. So, that much has been taken from our sector," he said. On the other hand, while Borg also admits that online shopping has impacted the sector, he said not all hope is lost. "Many cli- ents still prefer the tradi- tional way of shopping," he said. Yet it is not only the mode of toy shopping that is changing, it is also the choice of gifts themselves; the toys which are most sought after seem to differ between the more traditional and the electronic and the trendy. According to Aquilina, the most popular toys include Lego, video games, and dolls, but also modern toys such as electronic learning products for infants and preschool- ers by VTech, Hatchimals – robotic animals which hatch themselves from an egg – and the plush toys Beanie Boos. Borg said that brand name toys have become popular with children, pointing to a number of brands re- lated to either children's television or YouTube programmes. "Every kid has his favourite brand toy, and this year toys like Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, and Shopkins are very popu- lar." On his part, Mallia also men- tioned Paw Patrol, a line of toys based on a Canadian animated television series, as one of the most popular choices this year, before going on to mention several educational toys, including Leap- Frog and VTech. Aquilina noted that the choice of toys for boys and girls do not really differ from each other. Mallia also made the same obser- vation, explaining that most of the toys are unisex. "Age creates more o f a discrepancy re- garding toys than gender," he added. F u r t h e r m o r e , all three con- firmed an ap- parent hike in last-minute shoppers, al- though they could not see a reason for it. "It's becoming nor- mal these last years for people to leave shopping to the very end," Borg said. On the other hand, while Borg also admits that online shopping has impacted the sector, he said not all hope is lost. "Many cli- ents still prefer the tradi- tional way of shopping," he television series, as one of the most popular choices this year, before going on to mention several educational toys, including Leap- Frog and VTech. Aquilina noted that the On his part, Mallia also men- tioned Paw Patrol, a line of toys based on a Canadian animated television series, as one of the most popular choices this year, before going on to mention several educational toys, including Leap- Aquilina noted that the toys are unisex. "Age creates more o f a discrepancy re- garding toys than gender," he added. F u r t h e r m o r e , all three con- firmed an ap- parent hike in last-minute shoppers, al- though they could not see a