How important are holiday traditions to parents? Here's what the numbers say

A majority of parents believe their kids “need” to follow the same holiday traditions they grew up with, according to a new study.

The poll of 2,000 US parents who celebrate winter holidays revealed 78% of parents believe it’s important to share traditions they grew up practicing with their own children and for 73% of them, giving gifts to their children is a large part of their holiday traditions.

For kids, receiving gifts was found to be the most exciting part of the holidays (22%), beating out traditions like visiting Santa (20%) or decorating the house (20%).

Over half (53%) of parents who celebrate Christmas said they start placing gifts under the tree two weeks in advance. Forty-six percent said gifts are more exciting to them now than they were when they were kids.

A further 25% said they’re just as excited now as in their childhood.

This is cemented by the fact that 77% of parents agreed the holiday season is just as magical now as it was when they were kids.

Commissioned by BJ’s Wholesale Club and conducted by OnePoll, the survey found during the holiday season, 56% look forward to spending time with their family and friends. Seventeen percent said they also look forward to gift shopping, either for themselves or for others.

Forty-two percent spend the most amount of their time shopping for gifts during the holidays — more than cooking (34%) and grocery shopping (27%).

Money spent during the holidays mirrors this: 52% spend the most on gifting others, while 34% spend the most on gifting themselves.

“We understand how much our members treasure traditions,” said Tim Morningstar, Chief Membership Officer, BJ’s Wholesale Club. “It’s about the memories that are passed along from one generation to another and celebrated each year.

“Spreading the joy with gifting and sharing meals are central to core holiday memories, and we delight in being a special part of those traditions by the value our membership offers to the families who depend on us.”

The survey also found the top traditions followed by each majorly celebrated winter holiday: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Winter Solstice. Overall, holiday traditions seem to follow people from their childhood to parenthood.

As kids, many Christmas celebrators followed traditions such as giving gifts (71%) and decorating the tree (69%). From children to adults, these traditions continue as the years go by. Adults also still give gifts (66%) and decorate the tree (60%).

Kids who celebrated Hanukkah played with the dreidel (49%) or ate dairy (49%). As adults now, they give gelt (48%) and eat fried foods (45%).

Children who grew up celebrating Kwanzaa would reflect on principles (56%) and prepare and share food (54%). Now as adults, they showcase talents (54%) and prepare and share food (52%).

Winter Solstice celebrations were alike for both kids and adults: kids decorate animal-friendly trees (65%) and make art (59%). As adults, they continue to decorate animal-friendly trees (61%) but also prepare food (61%).

Results also showed for many people across different holiday cultures, food is central to their traditions.

Those who celebrate Christmas were found to feast on turkey (55%), cake (36%) and steak (36%). Recognizers of the Winter Solstice are likely to eat cake (29%), fish (24%) and casseroles (24%).

Meanwhile, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations shared the same appreciation for cake (28% and 25%, respectively), pies (26% and 24%, respectively) and casseroles (24%, equally).

“We know how personal sharing meals and gift giving are, across all holiday celebrations,” continued Morningstar. “We will continue to provide unbeatable value to our members to support their holiday traditions and help them create new ones.”