Survey: Christmas Viewed Mainly as Religious Holiday among Slovaks

Bratislava, December 24 (TASR) - As many as 77 percent of Slovaks are looking forward to spending quality time with their relatives during the Christmas holidays, a survey carried out Go4insight agency has shown.

Meanwhile, 35 percent of the respondents claimed that they perceive Christmas as a primarily religious holiday. Conversely, 29 percent said that they view it as a sociocultural holiday. Approximately 34 percent claimed that they look on it as a combination of the two aforementioned aspects.

Apart from spending time with their families, the respondents claimed that they are also looking forward to the holiday atmosphere, namely movies, songs and decorations.

When asked about what they don't like about the holiday season, the majority of the respondents pointed to overcrowded shops, the commercialisation of Christmas and the fact that it can be financially demanding.

At the same time, 83 percent of Slovaks intend to visit their friends and relatives during the holidays, while 47 percent claimed that they will go to Mass. Only 13 percent want to go caroling.