NEW YORK — It’s going to be a very busy few weeks of food, parties, and family for many Americans. A new poll of 2,000 people looked at their social calendars this winter and found that the average person will attend five different gatherings this holiday season.
Results show that a majority of respondents are excited about the holiday season, even if they don’t celebrate one of the common winter holidays (84%). Three in four are expecting to be busier during the holiday season this year, especially those who will be hosting (85%).
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Chinet, the survey finds that, surprisingly, nearly two-thirds of those surveyed wish they were visiting others even more often (62%). Most commonly, Americans will be attending Thanksgiving dinner (74%) and Christmas parties (66%) or dinners (65%).
Others anticipate that they’ll go to a New Year’s party (54%) and Friendsgiving dinner (54%), too. One in seven are attending a Secret Santa event and other respondents will be taking part in different cultural celebrations like Kwanzaa (17%) and Hanukkah dinners (13%).
Above all, respondents are most excited about Thanksgiving dinner (43%) and Friendsgiving dinner (33%). However, some survey-takers wish some events were skippable this year, particularly Christmas dinner (22%) and New Year’s parties (22%).
Interestingly, respondents are also more excited to spend time with co-workers (49%) and neighbors (44%) at gatherings over their family (30%).
Nearly half of respondents have traditions they follow during the holiday season (48%), like making a “gingerbread house every year,” “family camping,” and “driving around the neighborhood with family looking at Christmas lights.” Whether they do or don’t have existing traditions, 73 percent are interested in starting new ones.
“Our goal is to bring people together and help them build traditions,” says spokesperson Melissa Rakos, product manager for Chinet brand marketing, in a statement. “Whether it’s an annual get-together or an impromptu party, we hope we can help people gather with ease.”
For some, that could mean being crowned the host with the most, as seven in 10 said that out of everyone they know, they’d be the best holiday host (71%). More respondents say that being a host requires more mental preparation (25%) than physical preparation (22%), but half agree that it takes both.
Americans also said that if they were hosting a party, they’d be ready for it to be over after almost two and a half hours. However, one in eight say that hosting others for even less time — up to one hour — is their breaking point.
The top “rules” that people would expect others to follow in their home are to clean up after themselves (56%), help clean up afterward (50%), and bring something to the gathering (49%). Forty-six percent also expect others to take off their shoes before entering, and another 41 percent expect guests not to go into closed rooms without their permission.
When thinking about the pain points of hosting others, Americans said they’d want to think about the cleanup after meals (25%) and presents (20%) the least.
“If you love hosting but hate the hassle of cleanup, having help from disposable tableware can make your next party easier than ever,” adds Rakos. “Stock your pantry with plates, bowls, and cups so you’re ready for whatever the holidays bring.”
Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by Chinet between September 12 and September 14, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
