More than half of Americans surveyed believe spending less money on gifts will allow them to focus more on the true meaning of the holidays.
A poll from the Center for a New American Dream, a Takoma Park, Md.-based organization, found 54 percent said spending less money will help them better focus on the holiday season.
“The poor economy is weighing heavily on people, but it’s also true that Americans are using this holiday season to focus on what really matters,” said Betsy Taylor, president of the center that encourages Americans to be responsible consumers and to protect the environment. “Is the holiday supposed to be about racing from mall to mall and going into debt, or should it be about giving from the heart?”
The center offers suggestions for having a simpler holiday, such as giving “the gift of time,” making donations to a charity in the name of a loved one or creating photo albums.
Other findings of the poll by Washington-based Widmeyer Research and Polling include
- 77 percent said they would like to have a simpler holiday season this year.
- 64 percent of Americans are concerned about economic uncertainty as the holidays approach.
- 62 percent believe that too much importance is placed on giving and receiving gifts during the holidays.
- 61 percent would rather spend less money on the holidays this year.
- 28 percent said they need to spend a lot of money to have an enjoyable and fulfilling holiday.
The Nov. 19 telephone poll of 750 adults nationwide has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
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