Fewer Filipinos see ‘happy’ Christmas

Fewer adult Filipinos anticipate a "happy" Christmas this year compared to last year, the latest survey from Social Weather Stations shows.

In the poll, 65% said they expect this year’s Christmas to be happy, a downward trend from 73% in 2023 and 2022.

SWS noted that the same percentage was recorded in 2021, in the midst of the pandemic. It is also 15 points above the record-low 50% in 2020.

However, it is 14 points below the pre-pandemic level of 79% in 2019.

SWS said 10% of Filipinos expect a “sad” Christmas, while the remaining 26% said they expect Christmas to be “neither” happy nor sad.

"The expectation of a sad Christmas was customarily at single-digit levels, ranging from 2% to 9%. It reached double-digit levels only in 2004, 2009, 2011, 2020, and 2024, ranging from 10% to 15%," SWS said.

Those expecting a happy Christmas were highest in Mindanao at 73%, while the least people are in Metro Manila at 58%.

The non-commissioned survey was conducted from December 12 to 18, 2024, using face-to-face interviews.

The same survey also found that “good health,” “family” and “being alive” remained the top three reasons that Filipinos are thankful for in life as Christmas and the end of the year approaches.

SWS noted that 47% of Filipinos are thankful for good health, 25% are thankful for family, and 24% are grateful for being alive.

With 2,160 respondents, the survey has sampling error margins of ±2% for national percentages, ±3% in Balance Luzon, and ±5% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. — BM, GMA Integrated News