OTTAWA, Ontario, December 7, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Despite the efforts of secularists to transform Christmas into the “holiday season,” a new poll suggests the vast majority of Canadians still prefer to wish each other a “Merry Christmas!”
The Abacus Data poll shows that 76% of Canadians across the country prefer the traditional greeting while 17% prefer “Happy Holidays” and 3% opt for “Seasons Greetings.”
The cross-country results are skewed by Quebec, however, where only 53% prefer “Merry Christmas.” In the province “Joyeuses fetes” (“Happy Holidays”) is a common phrase, and preferred by 38%.
No other region drops below 80% support for “Merry Christmas,” with those preferring that greeting reaching 87% in Central Canada, 86% in British Columbia, 84% in Alberta and the Atlantic provinces, and 81% in Ontario.
Ninety-two percent of respondents said they celebrate Christmas in their family, but only 40% observe it as a religious holiday, while 52% consider it a secular holiday.
“We’ve been told we have to be politically correct,” David Coletto, C.E.O. of Abacus Data, told the Toronto Sun. “But Canadians have told us they’re comfortable using merry Christmas.”
“Christmas with a capital ‘C’ is alive and well within Canada,” he added.
The polling firm surveyed 1,004 Canadians online from Dec. 2-4.