As the year draws to a close, our collective perspective on the holiday season is not particularly rosy. More than half of Canadians (53 per cent, down three points since 2023) told us they expect the holidays to be “more fun than stressful,” but just over three in 10 (31 per cent, up four points) believe it will be “more stressful than fun.”

In seven years, this is the first time we’ve seen a score of 31 per cent on stress—one point higher than in 2019 and 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic yielded a significant number of undecided respondents.

On a lighter note, we continue to see Canadians preferring a specific greeting. More than three-in-five (62 per cent) select “Merry Christmas,” while 24 per cent pick “Happy Holidays.” Since 2018, “Merry Christmas” has lost 12 points, while “Happy Holidays” has gained 10 points.

There is no significant change in the way we feel about the staples of the season. Turkey remains the overwhelming favourite, with 85 per cent of Canadians (up two........

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