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2020 has been a different year, and the holidays will be different, too. Like we did at the end of 2019, we ran a fun survey via the GeoPoll App in four countries – Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda – to examine holiday plans, gifts, and new year resolutions.
More people (37%) will be spending the holidays alone or with their close families than last year (32%). Only 22% plan to travel to spend time with their families this year, compared to 28% last year. This changes from country to country, with more Kenyans likely to visit their extended families (31%) than South Africans (15%), who are more likely to stay home alone (47%).
Gifts
Gifts are a usual culture for many during the holidays. Almost like last year, most people (57%) are planning to give gifts this year while 30% will not be gifting anyone this year. For 13%, gifts are a reciprocation and will give gifts if they receive gifts, similar to the findings of last year’s survey.
As for the most commonly given gifts, while clothes/shoes remain the most popular gift (a four percent increase to 39%), fewer people will be giving cash (9%), with beauty products (18%) and books (13%) being more popular gifts this year.
Christmas
Christmas Day is one of the most celebrated days globally and is one of the two most important days celebrated in the holiday season. 85% of the respondents stated that they will be celebrating Christmas, so we asked a few questions on the day.
On Christmas Day, a majority of the respondents (34%) plan to spend the day with family and friends at home. Twenty-seven percent will be going to church, while 19% plan to eat out with friends and family.
New Year Resolutions
The year 2020 did not go as expected for most people, which no one would have guessed at the beginning of the year. Therefore, we wanted to gauge how goals shifted through the year. At the start, 78% of the respondents said they had had New Year resolutions for 2020.
As to whether they achieved their resolutions, 22% said they achieved all or most of their resolutions, down from 28% the previous year. Most did try, though, with 49% saying they achieved at least a few of their resolutions, a figure that was slightly less than the 53% who gave the same answer for 2019 resolutions.
Despite the uncertainty in 2020 that is spilling over to 2021, a good number of the respondents ( 75%), said they will have resolutions for the new year and 12% may or may not lay down their resolutions.
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This 2020 Holiday Survey was conducted through the GeoPoll Android App, targeting community members in four countries in Africa, with the exact questions we asked in 2019. While many findings have changed largely due to the events of 2020, other findings remained consistent.
At GeoPoll, we wish you and yours happy holidays and a better 2021 than 2020!