75 Percent Say America Has ‘Forgotten the Real Meaning of Christmas’

Among Christians, 84 percent believe the nation has forgotten the real meaning of Christmas, with 50 percent of Christians strongly agreeing. Among non-religious Americans, only 60 percent agree with the statement.

The poll also asked Americans their attitudes toward Christmas music, decorations and Santa.

The survey found that:

• 85 percent of Americans say they decorate their homes for the holidays, with 15 percent saying they don’t decorate.
• 48 percent say Christmas decorations should be taken down by the first week of January, with nearly one-fourth (23 percent) saying “later in January.” One in 10 (10 percent) say Christmas decorations should be taken down between Christmas and New Year’s Day. A total of 7 percent say Christmas decorations should be taken down after January, and 3 percent say they should be left up all year long.
• A majority of Americans (56 percent) say it is appropriate to play Christmas music in public after Thanksgiving, with 25 percent answering, “after Dec. 1.”
• 70 percent of Americans say they would be comfortable attending a Christmas party for a religion other than their own.
• Nearly half (48 percent) of American parents with children under 18 say their kids do not believe in Santa, while 46 percent of parents with children that age do believe in Santa.
• 12 percent of Americans say the worst Christmas song is All I Want for Christmas, followed by Jingle Bells (6 percent), Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer (5 percent) and “all Mariah Carey songs” (3 percent).

The poll involved interviews with 1,023 adults.

Photo courtesy: ©GettyImages/udra

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.