What do people think and believe about Christmas?
Evangelical Alliance has collated some very interesting survey results and whilst they apply to mainland Britain, they’re food for thought as Advent begins and we prepare to celebrate and share the true story of the incarnation.
What do people think the modern day Christmas is about?
In a survey conducted by ComRes on behalf of Theos in October 2011 the following results were obtained:
- 83% agreed that Christmas is a about spending time with family and friends
- 62% agreed that Christmas is a time when we should be generous to people less fortunate than ourselves.
- 41% agreed that Christmas is a about celebrating that God loves humanity. 24% disagreed with this.
- 40% said Christmas is a good excuse for taking time off and doesn’t really have any meaning today but 34% disagreed with this.
Belief in the Christmas story
In a survey done by YouGov in 2014 they found more than around 50% of people do not believe the following aspects of the Christmas story:
- An angel of the lord appeared to shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus (51% don’t believe it, 20% do not know and 28% do believe it)
- Wise men were guided by a star and bought Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh (44% don’t believe it, 19% don’t know and 37% do believe it)
- The newborn baby Jesus was laid in a manger (47% don’t believe it, 24% don’t know and 29% believe it)
Knowledge of the Nativity story
In a survey of parents and their children undertaken by ICM for the Bible Society in December 2012, 22% of parents and 18% scored eight out of ten in a Nativity knowledge quiz:
- 98% knew Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:4)
- 89% knew Mary put the baby Jesus in a manger (Luke 2:7)
- 83% knew the Angel Gabriel told Mary she would give birth (Luke 1:26)
- 77% knew Herod was king at the time (Matthew 2:1)
- 63% knew the angels were the first to announce the news (Luke 2:15)
- 52% knew Mary and Joseph were travelling because they has been ordered to register with the authorities (Luke 2:1)
- 46% knew the shepherds were first to visit Jesus (Luke 2:16)
- 32% knew the word Immanuel (Matthew 1:23) means ‘God is with us’
- 26% knew Mary and Joseph were engaged when she found out she was going to have a baby (Matthew 1:18)
- 14% knew the wise men travelled West following the star to Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1) Source: Bible Society
Read more facts and statistics about Christmas on the Evangelical Alliance website here.