THREE in five adult Filipinos expect a happy Christmas this year, one in 10 think it will be sad, and one in four says it will be neither, according to the Social Weather Stations’ Dec. 5 to 10 poll.
The research organization said more Filipinos used to expect a happy Christmas—82 percent in 2002 and 77 percent in 2003—until 2004 the figure slid to 63 and 64 percent. This coincided with the rise in the percentage of Filipinos who expect a sad Christmas: From only 3 percent in 2002 and 2003 to 7 to 8 percent from 2005 to 2008 and an all-time high of 10 percent in 2004.
Those expecting a happy Christmas in 2009 are 50 percent in Metro Manila, lower than the 62 percent in Balance Luzon, 68 percent in Visayas and 71 percent in Mindanao.
Happiness with Christmas has been lower among Metro Manila respondents than in other three areas since 2003, the SWS said.
Those expecting a happy Christmas this year are about the same across all socioeconomic classes, it added.
Most of the Muslim respondents are neutral on their expectations with Christmas, with half expecting their Christmas this year to be neither happy nor sad,.
Those expecting a happy Christmas in 2009 are 68 percent among the youth (18-24) and 66 percent among the intermediate youth (25-34), slightly higher than among the older age groups.