Raleigh, N.C. –
PPP’s new holiday season poll sees voters in giving moods towards both Barack
Obama and Mitt Romney – voters believe both men will be receiving presents from
Santa this holiday season rather than a lump of coal, with Romney perhaps
getting some sympathy presents. Voters say Romney will get presents by a 63/37
margin compared to 51/49 for Obama. 44% of respondents said Santa was a
Democrat, to 28% who think he is a Republican. 54% of voters said they were
concerned that the looming “fiscal cliff” could cause Santa to cut back on his
benefits. When asked if there was a War on Christmas, the majority of
respondents believe there was 47/40. Only 32% or respondents could correctly
identify the number of days in Hanukkah, compared to 18% each who thought 7
days or 12 days.
A majority of voters (52/45) said
they believe in Santa Claus. 80% said they were on Santa’s “Nice” list to just
11% who said they were on his “Naughty” list. If they saw Mommy kissing Santa
Claus, 43% would tell Daddy, 40% would not and 17% weren’t sure. When asked, “If Grandma got run over by a reindeer, would you press charges
against Santa?” 61% would not press charges, to 24% who would. 33% of Democrats
would press charges compared to 19% of Republicans.
Contrary to popular belief, 62% of respondents said their favorite part of
the holidays was spending time with family. Cookies were the favorite holiday
treat at 29%. The most popular holiday movies were It’s a Wonderful Life, 22%, and A
Christmas Story with 20%. Santa is the clear winner for favorite holiday
character at 40% followed by Rudolph at 20%. A majority of voters, 52%, said
Santa is the most plausible out of various holiday-specific characters. Leprechauns
came in second at 19% and Cupid third at 17%. When asked what the most annoying
holiday song was, 36% said “The Chipmunk Song”; the runner up was “Santa Baby”
at 13%.
“I’m sure Santa will be happy to know that the majority of Americans believe
in him,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Now he just
needs to give everyone a Hanukkah calendar in their stocking this year”.
PPP surveyed 500 registered
voters from December 5th to 7th. The margin of error for the
poll is +/-4.4%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political
organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Which holiday do you primarily celebrate at this
time of year: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa,
Festivus, or do you not celebrate any holidays?
Christmas……………………………………………….. 87%
Hanukkah……………………………………………….. 3%
Kwanzaa………………………………………………… 4%
Festivus …………………………………………………. 3%
Something else/Don’t celebrate any holidays . 3%
Q2 Do you plan to attend worship services as part
of your holiday experience this year?
Yes………………………………………………………… 68%
Maybe……………………………………………………. 16%
No …………………………………………………………. 16%
Q3 Do you believe in Santa Claus, or not?
Believe…………………………………………………… 52%
Don’t believe …………………………………………… 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%
Q4 This year, would you say you are on Santa’s
nice list or naughty list?
Nice list ………………………………………………….. 80%
Naughty list …………………………………………….. 11%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%
Q5 Do you think Santa Claus is a Democrat or a
Republican?
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 44%
Republican……………………………………………… 28%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 28%
Q6 Do you think Santa Claus will be leaving Mitt
Romney any gifts this year, or will he leave him
a lump of coal?
Gifts ………………………………………………………. 63%
Lump of coal …………………………………………… 37%
Q7 Do you think Santa Claus will be leaving
Barack Obama any gifts this year, or will he
leave him a lump of coal?
Gifts ………………………………………………………. 51%
Lump of coal …………………………………………… 49%
Q8 Are you concerned that the fiscal cliff will force
Santa to cut back on the benefits he provides,
or not?
Concerned ……………………………………………… 54%
Not concerned ………………………………………… 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%
Q9 Which character do you think could most
plausibly exist: Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny,
the Tooth Fairy, leprechauns, or Cupid?
Santa Claus ……………………………………………. 52%
Easter Bunny ………………………………………….. 5%
Tooth Fairy……………………………………………… 6%
Leprechauns …………………………………………… 19%
Cupid …………………………………………………….. 17%
Q10 Which is your favorite part of the holidays:
giving and receiving presents, time with family,
enjoying food, time off from work, attending
worship services, or something else?
Presents…………………………………………………. 10%
Spending time with family …………………………. 62%
Eating food……………………………………………… 4%
Time off from work …………………………………… 4%
Attending worship services ……………………….. 14%
Something else ……………………………………….. 5%
Q11 Using the same list of choices, which is your
least favorite part of the holidays?
Presents…………………………………………………. 22%
Spending time with family …………………………. 10%
Eating food……………………………………………… 10%
Time off from work …………………………………… 7%
Attending worship services ……………………….. 9%
Something else ……………………………………….. 41%
Q12 What’s your favorite holiday treat: candy canes,
egg nog, fruitcake, cookies, gingerbread, or
something else?
Candy Canes ………………………………………….. 8%
Egg nog …………………………………………………. 19%
Fruitcake………………………………………………… 12%
Cookies………………………………………………….. 29%
Gingerbread……………………………………………. 6%
Something else ……………………………………….. 24%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 1%
Q13 Do you believe there is a War on Christmas, or
not?
Believe there is a War on Christmas…………… 47%
Don’t believe there is ……………………………….. 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q14 How many days do you think are in Hanukkah:
three days, four days, seven days, eight days,
twelve days, or the entire month of December?
3……………………………………………………………. 4%
4……………………………………………………………. 4%
7……………………………………………………………. 18%
8……………………………………………………………. 32%
12………………………………………………………….. 18%
Entire month …………………………………………… 7%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%
Q15 If Grandma got run over by a reindeer, would
you press charges against Santa, or not?
Would press charges ……………………………….. 24%
Would not……………………………………………….. 61%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q16 If you saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus, would
you tell Daddy?
Would tell Daddy……………………………………… 43%
Would not……………………………………………….. 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%
Q17 Of these choices, which is your favorite holiday
movie: Home Alone, A Christmas Story,
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s a
Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, The
Santa Clause, Elf, The Muppets’ Christmas
Carol, or Scrooged?
Home Alone ……………………………………………. 16%
A Christmas Story ……………………………………. 20%
Christmas Vacation………………………………….. 15%
It’s a Wonderful Life …………………………………. 22%
Miracle on 34th Street………………………………. 12%
The Santa Clause ……………………………………. 1%
Elf …………………………………………………………. 5%
The Muppets’ Christmas Carol…………………… 2%
Scrooged ……………………………………………….. 3%
Something else/Not sure…………………………… 5%
Q18 Of these choices, which is your favorite holiday
character: Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red-
Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, the
Grinch, Ebenezer Scrooge, or Buddy the Elf?
Santa …………………………………………………….. 40%
Rudolph …………………………………………………. 20%
Frosty…………………………………………………….. 12%
The Grinch……………………………………………… 9%
Scrooge …………………………………………………. 5%
Buddy the Elf ………………………………………….. 7%
Someone else/Not sure ……………………………. 7%
Q19 Of these choices, which do you think is the
most annoying holiday song: The Chipmunk
Song, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,
Santa Baby, Jingle Bell Rock, Feliz Navidad,
All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth,
Baby It’s Cold Outside, Grandma Got Run
Over By A Reindeer, The Twelve Days of
Christmas, or something else?
The Chipmunk Song ………………………………… 36%
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus ……………. 7%
Santa Baby …………………………………………….. 13%
Jingle Bell Rock ………………………………………. 4%
Feliz Navidad ………………………………………….. 7%
All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front
Teeth………………………………………………………7%
Baby It’s Cold Outside ……………………………… 1%
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer……….. 12%
The 12 Days of Christmas ………………………… 2%
Something else/Not sure…………………………… 9%
Q20 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 57%
Man……………………………………………………….. 43%
Q21 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 36%
Republican……………………………………………… 36%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 28%
Q22 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 12%
White …………………………………………………….. 63%
African-American …………………………………….. 14%
Other……………………………………………………… 11%
Q23 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 19%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 29%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 36%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 16%
Q24 What do you consider to be your religious
affiliation: Protestant Christian, such as Baptist,
Methodist, Presbyterian, or Episcopalian;
Catholic; Jewish; Muslim; something else; or
atheist or agnostic?
Protestant ………………………………………………. 44%
Catholic………………………………………………….. 24%
Jewish……………………………………………………. 3%
Muslim …………………………………………………… 2%
Something else ……………………………………….. 15%
Atheist/agnostic ………………………………………. 7%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%
