News

How Americans Celebrate Christmas in 2013

by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"The way Americans celebrate Christmas present is rooted in Christmases past," according to Pew Research Center. A new survey from Pew's Religion & Public Life Project looks at Christmas customs in America and how they've been shifting. According to the survey, an overwhelming majority of adults in the United States (92 percent) celebrate Christmas. And despite "war on Christmas" hysteria, 51 percent say they personally view Christmas as "more of a religious holiday" than a cultural holiday (about a third say cultural holiday and tenth say both or other). Here are 10 more findings about how Americans plan to celebrate the holidays in 2013:

1. Come together

A total of 86 percent of U.S. adults say they intend to gather with family and friends on Christmas eve or day this year (the same number of people who say they plan to give gifts to family and friends). About 90 percent said they did so as kids.

2. Cards are out

Though 81 percent of adults say their families sent holiday cards when they were children, only 65 percent plan to do so themselves this year.

3. Away in a Manger

Gen Y is more skeptical about Mary being a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus. While an equal amount (76 percent) of older adults, boomers, and Gen X-ers believe the virgin birth story, only 66 percent of Millennials are buying it.

4. Oh Holy Night

About 70 percent of Americans say they typically attended Christmas Eve or Christmas Day religious services growing up, but only 54 percent say they plan go this year.

5. Gen Y sees Christmas as more cultural than religious

While 66 percent of adults 65+ celebrate Christmas as a predominantly religious holiday, only 39 percent of those 18 to 29 years old do. Millennials are also less likely to go to church on Christmas Eve or Day.

6. Up On the Rooftop

Yes, there is a Santa Claus in a lot of adult-only households. Among adults with no kids at home, about a fifth still pretend that Santa visits their home this year (whatever that means).

7. Oh Christmas Tree

A total of 79 percent of people plan to put up a Christmas tree this year (92 percent said they did so as kids).

8. DIY Gifts

A total of 58 percent of Americans say they plan to give homemade gifts such as baked goods or crafts this year, as 66 percent said they did as children. Women were more likely than men to be giving homemade gifts (65 percent vs. 51 percent).

9. Atheists and agnostics celebrate Christmas

Among the "religiously unaffiliated," 87 percent say they still celebrate Christmas.

10. "Not celebrating Christmas" still kind of involves celebrating Christmas.

Even among those who say they don't personally celebrate Christmas, 51 percent will get together with family or friends on Christmas Eve or Day.