Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/764316
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2016 18 Christmas Survey Christmas 'a cultural feast', say 20% of respondents A relative majority of the Maltese (43%) con- sider Christmas to be primarily a religious feast. Only a fifth (19%) of all respondents and 27% of those aged under 55 years think that Christmas is primarily a cultural feast. But a significant minority – 35% of all re- spondents and 50% of under-35 year olds –consider Christmas to have both cultural and religious elements. Only 4% think that Christmas is neither a cultural nor a religious feast. This view is highest among university-educated re- spondents, a tenth of whom think Christ- mas is neither a cultural nor a religious feast. A similar survey held in the USA in 2015 had shown that 51% regard Christmas as a religious feast while 32% regard it as a cul- tural feast. But only 9% – compared to 35% of the Maltese – considered Christmas to be both cultural and religious. This may sug- gest that the Maltese are more likely to mix religious and cultural motifs than people in the US, where there is a sharper divide be- tween religious and secular people. Nostalgia of Christmas past The survey shows that an overwhelming majority (73%) think that Christmas was better celebrated when they were children. But younger respondents are more likely not to see any difference between the way Christmas was celebrated when they were children and now. The university educated are also the most likely to see no difference between the ways Christmas was celebrated in the past and the way it is celebrated now. Respondents with a secondary level of education are the most likely to think Christmas was celebrated bet- ter when they were children. The perception that Christmas was better celebrated in the past may be tied with the view that Christ- mas has become too commercialised. When asked what they don't like most about Christmas 41% replied that it has be- come too commercialised while a further 29% think that it has become too expensive to celebrate Christmas. Among those who think that Christmas has become too com- mercialised 82% think that Christmas was celebrated better when they were children. 13% of respondents also referred to in- creased pressure to put on appearances and pretend to be merry as a negative aspect of Christmas celebrations. The season to be jolly When asked whether Christmas makes them happier or sadder, only 18% replied that this feast makes them more sad than usual. But nearly one fourth replied that they feel exactly the same as other days in the year. Sadness in Christmas increases with age, from just 11% among 18 to 34 year olds to 16% among those aged between 35 and 54 to 24% among those aged over 55 years of age. Sadness in Christmas also tends to in- crease according to level of education from 6% among those with a university education to 18% among those with a secondary level of education and to 30% among those with a primary level of education. Since education often coincides with social class, low income may also contribute to unhappiness in the Christmas season. Christmas is all about family What really makes people happier in Christmas is meeting family and friends. 87% gave this answer when asked what makes them happier during the festive season. Only 3% mentioned presents as a reason to be happy while 8% replied that it is the Christmas decorations which make them happy. This is not surprising consid- ering the fact that a vast majority of people decorate their homes for Christmas. In a re- flection that Christmas remains a religious feast for many, the most popular decoration (89% claim to have one in their home) is the statue or model of the baby Jesus. But What makes you happier at Christmas? What don't you like about Christmas? What really makes people happier in Christmas is meeting family and friends