Are Americans over holiday gatherings?

Thirty-nine percent of Americans said that this is their busiest holiday season yet, according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 adults looked at how respondents’ winter social calendars have evolved from last year.

Although many are feeling busier than ever, Americans are slowing down compared to last holiday season: on average, respondents will attend three gatherings this year, down from five last year.

Those surveyed are comfortable with this change, too, as only 36% wish they were attending more gatherings this year compared to 62% who wished for the same last year.

Regardless of how many events they will attend, two in three shared that they’re excited about the holidays.

Conducted by Talker Research for the Chinet brand, the survey found that a third of Americans feel like they’ve been waiting a long time for the holidays this year (35%).

Looking at where exactly they’ll be spending their time, the most popular kinds of gatherings respondents will attend this year are Thanksgiving dinner (79%), Christmas dinner (73%) and Christmas parties (45%); attendance at all of these events are up from last year.

However, fewer respondents will attend New Year’s parties (36% vs. 54% last year) and Friendsgiving dinners (17% vs. 54% last year).

Of all the gatherings they will be attending, those surveyed are most excited about Thanksgiving dinner (49%) and Christmas dinner (38%), lining up with last year.

When asked about which event they’d skip if they could, Christmas dinner topped the list in 2023 (22%), but more are inclined to opt out of New Year’s parties in 2024 (12%).

“While the types of gatherings people plan to attend may shift from year to year, we still see an increased focus on getting together,” said Melissa Rakos, brand manager for the Chinet brand. “It’s clear that, for many, the holidays are truly about spending time with those they love most, regardless of what shape that takes.”

The survey also looked at what it means to be a sustainable guest.

Nearly a third of those surveyed admit they’re more conscious about waste in their own home as opposed to others’ homes (31%), and just 18% said the opposite; yet, half of respondents expect guests to be mindful of the same in their own home (54%).

As a holiday guest, respondents are keen on taking just what they need (47%) and limiting the food (44%) they throw away.

Others make a point to turn lights off in rooms that no one is in (37%) and minimize how long they spend washing their hands (15%).

This year, fewer respondents are planning to host guests during the holidays than last year (38% vs. 57%); even so, these hosts are more enthusiastic about having guests over (60% vs. 53% last year).

Forty-two percent also admitted that sustainability takes a back seat when they’re focused on hosting.

And although a majority want to inspire their guests to care more about the environment (64%), nearly a third are skeptical of them contributing to waste (29%).

When asked what they would want their guests to bring to the party, respondents matched last year’s top picks: food (46%) and drinks (34%).

And this year, one in ten would also like their guests to bring disposable plates to contribute to the gathering this year.

“Holiday hosting can be so fulfilling but is also a ton of work,” said Rakos. “Our goal is to help lessen that burden, helping people focus on spending quality time with guests, and minimizing the impact on the environment.”

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by the Chinet brand and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Oct. 3 and Oct.7, 2024.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.