What kids and teens like most about the holidays
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of children between 8 and 11 agree that “receiving gifts” is their favorite part of the holiday season
The holiday season is magical for many, but it’s especially wonderous for children. When asked about their favorite parts of the holiday season, children between 8 and 17 were almost equally likely to say “having time off from school” (69%) and “receiving presents” (68%). Over half also chose “spending time with family” (55%) as one of their favorite parts of the season, while about one-third (32%) say they like “decorating my house.”
Teenagers between 15 and 17 years old were especially likely (72%) to say “having time off from school” is one of their favorite parts of the season. They were also more likely than their younger counterparts to say “spending time with family” (64%) is one of their favorite parts. Meanwhile, 12- to- 14-year-olds were exactly equally likely to say “having time off from school” and “receiving gifts” (70% for both) are their favorite parts. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of children between 8 and 11 agree that “receiving gifts” is their favorite part.
Practically all (99%) kids who celebrate Christmas say that they enjoy it, with 86% of these saying “I enjoy it a lot.” A majority (72%) also say that they made a Christmas list this year. Three-quarters (76%) say there were no more than 10 items on their list, but 13% say they had 11 to 15 items on their list, while 4% had 16-20 items listed and 5% had more than 20 items on their list.
And most think they’ll receive a fair number of gifts: 32% think they’ll receive between six and 10 gifts, while 30% think they’ll get between 11 and 15 presents. Another 30% say they’ll probably get between one and five gifts. A very fortunate (or perhaps optimistic) 8% of children say they expect more than 20 gifts. Generally, they’re planning to give fewer gifts than they think they’ll receive. Over half (53%) say they’ll give between one and five gifts, and one-quarter (24%) say they’ll give between six and ten gifts.
After Christmas is over, many children will participate in another seasonal tradition: making New Year’s resolutions. For 8-11-year-olds, the most popular resolutions are “get better grades” (33%) and “make more friends” (31%). Middle-schoolers – 12-14-year-olds – are resolving to “eat healthier” (34%) and “get better grades (34%), while 15-17-year-olds are planning to “save money” (38%) and “get better grades” (33%).
