Americans are becoming less and less concerned about the ‘War on Christmas.’ In 2012 we found 47% of voters nationally believed that such a thing existed to only 40% who didn’t. Now just 37% of voters believe in the ‘War on Christmas’ to 42% who say it doesn’t exist. There’s the predictable party divide with Republicans believing 56/26 that there is a war and Democrats believing 26/55 that there is not.
You can add protecting America from the War on Christmas to the list of issues voters trust Donald Trump the most on. Among voters who do think there’s a War on Christmas, 29% say they think Trump’s the candidate best fit to wage the counter offensive to 16% for Ben Carson, 15% for Hillary Clinton, 14% for Ted Cruz, 9% for Jeb Bush, and 6% each for Marco Rubio and Bernie Sanders.
Americans have increasingly been identifying as independents over the last few years and apparently that extends to their perception of Santa’s party affiliation as well. When we first asked about it in 2012, on the heels of Barack Obama’s reelection 44% of voters said they thought Santa was a Democrat and 28% said they thought he was a Republican. Now the share of voters thinking he belongs to either of the major parties has declined- from 44% to 28% thinking he’s a Democrat and from 28% to 22% thinking he’s a Republican.
Other findings from our Christmas poll:
-The major December holidays have varying degrees of popularity with Americans. Everyone likes Christmas (88/6 favorability) and pretty much everyone with an opinion about it likes Hanukkah (64/8 favorability.) It gets a little more divided when it comes to Kwanzaa (37/21 favorability) and Festivus (24/17 favorability). Both of those holidays see a party divide when it comes to views about them. Democrats are fine with both Kwanzaa (49/13) and Festivus (25/15). Republicans meanwhile have a negative view of each of those holidays- it’s 27/33 for Kwanzaa and 13/25 for Festivus.
-There’s a massive party and generational divide when it comes to the issue of fruitcake. Overall 38% of Americans say they think fruitcake is good to 52% who say they think it is not. Republicans (50/46) and seniors (58/33) think it’s good while Democrats (39/53) and young voters (27/64) say no thanks.
-Americans have spoken and have an emphatic message: Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. Only 13% of voters think it is to 62% who say it is not.
-Americans also aren’t buying the Grinch’s rehabilitation at the end of the book/movie/tv special. He has just an 18% favorability rating with 60% of voters nationally seeing him in a negative light. That gives him very similar poll numbers to Mitch McConnell who we found yesterday with a 15/62 approval rating.
-There are several holiday related issues that do bring Americans together across party lines. We prefer multi colored lights over white lights on our Christmas trees 58/34 and that includes a 60/33 split with Democrats and a 59/34 one with Republicans. We prefer real Christmas trees to artificial ones 52/39 and that includes a 53/40 split with Democrats and a 51/39 one with Republicans. 62% prefer opening presents on Christmas morning to 23% who go with Christmas Eve, with that breaking down 68/19 among Republicans and 57/28 among Democrats. And we all think we’re on Santa’s nice list- 76% think they’re on the good list to only 7% who believe they’re on the naughty list, and that includes an 82/5 split with Republicans and a 77/7 one with Democrats.
-42% of Americans claim that they don’t put anything in their Egg Nog but among those who do 22% prefer rum, 16% go for bourbon, and 7% pick brandy.
-Finally we find that Rudolph is the overwhelming favorite in the reindeer primary, although he’s not quite hitting the threshold to avoid a runoff. 46% say Rudolph is their favorite to 9% for Dasher, 6% for Prancer, 5% each for Comet, Cupid, and Blitzen, 4% for Vixen, and 3% for Donner whose last place finish may come due to his association with cannibalism. With 15% undecided, Rudolph is well positioned to get the remaining support he needs to hit 50% to wrap it up and avoid a costly low turnout runoff election where anything could happen.
Full results here
