Tis’ the season to celebrate the birth of Jesus! Jesus has always been the main reason for the festivities surrounding this joyful season which is filled with laughter, love and plenty of memories of Christmas past.
Years ago Christmas was always celebrated by families and friends getting together and although that tradition continues to carry on today, some are now choosing to have a more quiet, intimate holiday at home.
Gift exchange continues at 86% for all generations and as always, there is a wide difference in chosen gifts. Retirees seem to focus more on special deals and practicality. Millennials on the other hand, want to provide a memory or experience, and companies like Amazon have huge influences on that. I can attest to this as my son recently utilized my Amazon Prime to purchase an Air Zooka (air blaster) for his upcoming gift exchange at work.
Christmas Trees continue to be huge highlights during the Christmas season. Again, we are seeing some comparison in this activity in traditional vs. new trends. The older generations are all about tradition, complete with a real tree, ornaments and a beautiful star or angel topper. However, we are seeing more and more artificial trees each and every year as limited time has become a focus.
Mailing Christmas cards was the one time of year to share photos and talk about news of the family. Today the percent of families sending cards has dropped to 65%. Social media allows us to stay current on family and friend’s lives with minute-by minute updates and pictures.
The biggest shock to all of these statistics is Santa Claus visiting homes on Christmas Eve. 72% of baby boomers acknowledge Santa, however, only 31% of millennial families still maintain this beloved Christmas tradition. I think we need to take a step back in time and bring back some of the older Christmas ways to bring families together again!
According to http://www.pewforum.org, nine-in-ten Americans say they celebrate Christmas, and three-quarters say they believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. But only about half see Christmas mostly as a religious holiday, while one-third view it as more of a cultural holiday.
At Baptist Life Communities we believe and celebrate the wondrous birth of Jesus Christ as being the reason for this season of love, hope and celebration! May His birth provide you with an experience of renewed life, joy and peace.
BLC wishes each and every one of you, your loved ones and our wonderful staff a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
For more information about our services or to schedule a tour got to www.blcnky.com and chat with a representative today.
Sources:
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/consumer/os-holidays-shopping-by-generation-20151211-story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/12/24/this-is-the-real-war-on-christmas/?utm_term=.adf5997f6ec9
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319343/