A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted from Dec. 12 to 18 found that 65 percent of Filipinos expect a “happy” Christmas this year, a decline from 73 percent over the past two years.

The survey results, released on Tuesday, Dec. 24, also revealed that 10 percent of Filipinos expect a “sad” Christmas, an increase from 6 percent in 2023.

Meanwhile, 26 percent anticipate a holiday that is neither happy nor sad.

SWS said the expectation of a happy Christmas was highest in Mindanao at 73 percent, followed by the Visayas at 71 percent, Balance Luzon at 59 percent, and Metro Manila at 58 percent.

Compared to 2023, expectations dropped by 14 points in Metro Manila (from 72 percent), 11 points in Balance Luzon (from 70 percent), and seven points in the Visayas (from 78 percent).

In Mindanao, however, the figure remained unchanged at 74 percent.

Filipinos grateful for health, family, life

In response to the open-ended question, “As Christmas and the end of the year approaches, may I know what one or two things are you most thankful for in your life right now?” SWS said the December 2024 survey found that 47 percent of Filipinos are most thankful for good health, 25 percent for family, and 24 percent for being alive.

Other common responses included job/career/income (7 percent), God (7 percent), food to eat (6 percent), coping with daily hardships (5 percent), all the blessings (4 percent), peace and safety (3 percent), happy life (3 percent), and prosperity (3 percent).

Smaller percentages mentioned surviving an illness or surgery, having no worries or problems, education, financial support, and love life/spouse (1 percent each).

Less than 1 percent cited house, friendship/good relationships, material things, and motorcycle/vehicle, while 2 percent did not provide an answer.

SWS said good health, family, and being alive were also the most common answers in December 2023.

The Fourth Quarter 2024 Social Weather Survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 2,160 adults aged 18 years and above nationwide: 1,080 in Balance Luzon (Luzon outside Metro Manila), and 360 each in Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

The sampling error margins are ±2 percent for national percentages, ±3 percent in Balance Luzon, and ±5 percent for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.