More Filipinos anticipate a happy Christmas in 2021 – SWS survey

FILE PHOTO: Children walk past Christmas lanterns known locally as ‘parol’ on display along a street in Manila on December 24, 2018. (Photo by MARIA TAN / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — More Filipinos are expecting a “happy” Christmas this year, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Christmas Eve.

SWS said that 65 percent of Filipinos expect a happy Christmas, which is 15 percentage points higher than in 2020 when only 50 percent of Filipinos expressed optimism. Last year’s rate was a record-low since the SWS began the annual survey in 2002.

The survey likewise said that the number of people who expect a sad Christmas this year decreased, garnering 8 percent, which is seven percentage points lower than the record-high 15 percent in 2020 when COVID-19 wreaked havoc across the world.

Also, 22 percent considered this year’s Christmas to be neither happy nor sad – 11 percentage points lower than 2020’s record-high of 33 percent.

The nationwide survey was conducted from December 12-16 using face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults or 18 years and older, according to SWS. It has sampling error margins of ±2.6% for national percentages, and ±5.2% for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Less mobile

Despite the more optimistic outlook, however, Filipinos are still less likely to venture outside to celebrate, the same survey has shown.

SWS said the majority or 84 percent of respondents said they will not be traveling to visit their family and friends during the Christmas season, while only 13 percent said they will do so.

Around half or 51 percent also said they will not be attending in-person gatherings with family and friends from other homes, compared to 46 percent who will do so.

The more mobile, the happier

The survey also found that those who expect a happy Christmas are higher among those who will be attending in-person gatherings with their family and friends from other homes, at 82 percent – contrary to the 52 percent who said they will just stay home for the holidays.

Those who will travel to meet family and friends are found to be happier at 73 percent than those who will not do so, at 65 percent.