Article

Survey: “I’ll be Home for Christmas,” says most of America

Field Agent

December 20, 2014

7 Swans-a-Swimming Home for the Holidays

Who is loading up the sleigh and uniting with family for Christmas? 334 of our Agents let us in on their Holiday travel plans. We learned how many Americans plan to pack up and go this Christmas, and just what it takes to get to their destination.

Over the River and Through the Woods…

The sense of togetherness is undeniable this time of year. Messages of love and fellowship are virtually everywhere. We see it in Holiday commercials and movies, read it in Christmas cards and hear it in festive songs.

Christmas is commonly known as a time to get together, a time for laughter and celebration with family. Whether near or far, most Americans plan to do just that.

89% of households expect to travel to visit family this Christmas.

But just how far are they willing to go? Nearly half of our sample (40%) plans to travel no more than 30 miles from their home to be with family on Christmas. But that’s not the case for most of our Agents. Those without family close-by told us they are wiling to travel much farther distances for this annual occasion.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Christmas-Style

So far, we’ve learned most of the nation plans to jingle all the way home for Christmas. That makes for a lot of miles traveled across the states. Out of curiosity, we asked our Agents exactly how they plan to make their trip.

Able to choose more than one option, a whopping 96% said they planned to drive their personal automobile to visit their loved ones. 5% opted for a plane ride, and less than 1% said they would travel by train. Buses and ships weren’t even on the map.

Singing a Song as we Go Along

Christmas songs carry a lot of truth. After all, they're written from personal experience. But just how true are they? We asked our Agents whether they do, in fact, agree with the lyrics that “there’s no place like home for the holidays.”

The results were overwhelming: 97% agreed (65% in strong agreement), while only 3% disagreed with the statement. It seems home really is the best place to spend the holidays...for most Americans anyway.

We also asked our Agents to what extent they agree with the statement: “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas.” 81% agreed (45% strongly agreed) and 20% disagreed (8% strongly disagreed).