December 20, 2024
Tis the season for holiday traditions, so we asked Canadians which of several seasonal items or habits they prefer!
Food / Beverages
Across the country, turkey is strongly preferred over ham for a holiday meal, with 71% preferring turkey and less than two in ten preferring ham. Preference for turkey is strong across all age groups, although those aged 55+ are significantly more likely to prefer it. One in ten Canadians (11%) prefer neither turkey nor ham.
When considering two seasonal beverages, regardless of age, Canadian residents voice a clear preference for eggnog (42%) over mulled wine (22%), although a sizable minority (37%) prefer neither. Results are generally consistent across the country with one exception – Quebec residents are significantly less likely than others to prefer eggnog, and most likely to prefer neither beverage.
Canadians are more divided when considering their sweet tooth preferences during the holiday season! Of two types of traditional cookies, Canadians have a slight preference for sugar cookies (45%) over gingerbread cookies (42%), although preference varies by region, with BC residents preferring gingerbread cookies, and those in Atlantic Canada voicing the strongest preference for sugar cookies.
Other Traditions:
Given a choice, Canadians have a slight preference for an artificial tree (49%) over a real tree (43%), although Atlantic Canadians are more inclined to prefer the opposite (51% real, versus 45% artificial), which is not surprising given the prevalence of Christmas tree farms in NB and NS. Younger Canadians are more likely than those in other age groups to prefer a real tree.
When wrapping holiday gifts, overall, Canadians express a preference for gift wrapping (53%) over gift bags (39%). Quebec residents have a stronger preference for gift wrapping than those in other provinces, and interestingly, Ontario residents are evenly split in their preference. Preference for gift wrapping decreases with age, with older Canadians being evenly split in preference.
And the days of ugly sweater contests may be over! When considering comfort and joy over the holiday season related to two festive clothing options, Canadians are twice as likely to prefer Christmas pajamas (50%) ahead of Christmas sweaters (25%). Results are consistent across the country, with younger Canadians voicing the strongest preference for festive pajamas.
Results are from an online survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted from December 10-12, 2024, with 1,231 Canadians from the Logit Group’s online Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2021 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution. For more information, please contact:
Margaret Brigley, CEO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493.3830, mbrigley@narrativeresearch.ca
OR
Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com
Narrative Research (www.narrativeresearch.ca), is a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned, research company, certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Narrative Research provides clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
The Logit Group (https://logitgroup.com/) is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies across an array of methodologies, and is independent, experienced and quality-oriented.
