This poll is reminding Canadians to look out for one another’s mental health during this holiday season: one-third of Canadians (especially a majority who are young) admit to feeling lonely and depressed despite festivities.

A majority (70%) of Canadians are optimistic that 2024 will be a better year for themselves than it was in 2023 and most (60%) will make New Years resolutions with the #1 being for better physical/mental health.

One-third (36%) of Canadians have returned or exchanged holiday gifts over the past three years—and among that group, the average for most (71%) is one (41%) or two (30%) returns/exchanges.

The hours clocked by workers before and after a week of vacation has reached its lowest level recorded since 2017.

The December 2023 Canadian MHOI is at 84 (negative/pessimistic) up one point from last month and rejoins a sentiment held back in September 2023.

Canadians expect to spend less (-14%) on gifts this holiday season than they did last year as a majority (55%) admit to currently feeling more financial pressure/stress than ever.

The top challenge Canadians encountered in the past year that made accomplishing their financial goals more difficult was the high cost of living/inflation (71%). While a majority (54%) have not established a personal financial plan, many (38%--or 21% of all Canadians) say they’d be more confident in their ability to set and meet their financial goals if they had one.

While majorities of Canadians believe playing hockey provides kids with valuable life skills (83%) and increased diversity among those playing the game would encourage others to join (80%), most (78%) don’t perceive hockey as an affordable sport for families.

While two-thirds of Canadians admit to knowing a woman who has faced physical, sexual, or emotionally abused, and many say they’ve seen ads or information about The Violence at Home Signal for Help, just a few admit they’re “very confident” in their abilities to render support to any person involved in such a circumstance.

A majority (56%) of Canadians are consuming more media news and related programing—and while two thirds (66%) of Canadians say they source news from traditional news channels, those who are the youngest utilize social media platforms for their news by a whopping comparative majority (73%). 

The November 2023 is at 83 (negative/pessimistic)—qualitatively the worst measure of economic confidence and personal financial outlook since the index commenced in April 2021.

When all is said and done, one third (34%) of Canadians find the holiday season exhausting compared to the remainder (66%) who find it all rather enjoyable. And while there may be two distinct mood groups produced during the holiday season, various sleeping patterns have different impacts on its gifters and revelers.