THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
An annual study by Coinstar, which operates coin-counting kiosks across the US, has found that coronavirus is having an impact on how Americans plan to celebrate the Holidays this year, and what types of gifts they'll be giving. 56% of respondents to the survey said that Covid-19 will influence how they celebrate the season.
The survey found that the Holidays this year are less likely to involve family gatherings. 40% said they will not travel to see relatives, nor attend or host gatherings. Instead, virtual celebrations will be more notable in 2020. 21% of respondents said they'd consider attending a virtual church service, while 19% said they'd plan to share gifts through virtual experiences. 12% even said they'd participate in a Zoom "tacky holiday sweater contest". Other respondents said they'd be keeping social distancing in mind, by spending the holidays driving around neighborhoods to see decorations and lights, leaving snack baskets for delivery personnel, or having bake-offs at home.
When asked about how else they may spend the Holiday season, 72% said they'd be watching movies and television series, 48% plan to sleep more, while 45% say they'll spend their free time baking or cooking.
In terms of gifts, Covid-19 looks set to have a big impact on the type of gifts Americans give each other. 50% plan to give fewer gifts this year, while Covid-19 gifts are likely to be popular, with 40% saying they'll fill stockings with hand sanitizer, 38% say face masks, and 23% say wet wipes.
Two in five (39%) also say that they will "likely donate to charity in lieu of giving a gift to a friend or colleague". If you're among those planning to give to charity over the holidays, it's worth remembering that US and UK taxpayers are eligible for tax relief when making charitable donations, see our A-List Charity section for more details.
How are you planning on spending the Holidays? Let us know at editor@theamerican.co.uk. You can find more details on Coinstar at www.coinstar.com/
