The festive season in Canada is like diving into a snow globe—full of warmth, joy, and, of course, the perennial debate about when to start decking the halls.
But amidst the festive excitement, how do Canadians prefer to exchange their holiday greetings? Do they favour "Merry Christmas" or opt for the more inclusive "Happy Holidays"?
Preply, a language learning service, has released survey findings revealing which greetings people prefer to use by province and city.
The Great Greeting Divide:
While some relish diving into festive cheer, not everyone has the same approach to spreading holiday vibes. In fact, over half of the surveyed Canadians simply love any greeting that brings in the cheer.
But when it comes to the showdown between "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays," the former reigns supreme, winning hearts at 61% against the latter at 44%.
A Canadian Approach to Greetings:
Canadians have a chill attitude about the greetings they prefer others to use. Over half of them (52%) couldn't care less about the wording—a genuine sentiment is all that matters. Of the rest, 32% are all for the classic "Merry Christmas," while 16% advocate for the more inclusive "Happy Holidays."
Festive Linguistic Melting Pot:
The true north, strong and diverse! Canadians embrace a variety of seasonal greetings, including:
- Bah Humbug!
- Enjoy the time off!
- Enjoy your winter holidays!
- Happy Solstice!
- Happy New Year!
- Season’s Greetings!
- Happy Festivus!
- Feliz Navidad!
- Happy Christmas!
- Happy Hanukkah!
- Happy Diwali!
- Joyeux Noel!
- Joyeux Temps Des Fetes!
- Maligayang Bati!
The Timing of Festive Fervour:
Timing the surge of seasonal spirit in Canada? It's a mixed bag.While 32% advocate for early December greetings, another 31% prefer waiting until the week before Christmas. A diplomatic 21% find the Goldilocks zone at two weeks before. And then, there are the eager beavers (8%) who start right after Thanksgiving and the enthusiastic elves (6%) who believe it’s never too early.
With only 1% cheering before Thanksgiving and another 1% not feeling the festive spirit at all, it's a symphony of holiday sentiments across the maple leaf land.
So, whether you're belting out "Merry Christmas" or opting for a more inclusive greeting, Canada's festive spirit is all about spreading joy and embracing the colourful mosaic of cultural celebrations.
