Why Most Millennials See Christmas As More Of A Cultural Soiree

Recent holiday trends seem to suggest that Generation Y perceive the holiday season as more of a social affair. This is according to a recent post on Pew Research Center which says that millennials see Christmas as more cultural than a religious holiday. A similar post accounts this to the fact that Generation Y is far less likely to identify with a religious group. The research also says that while nine out of ten Millennials do celebrate Christmas, only four out of ten of them perceive it as a religious holiday.

Photo Credit: Pew Research Center

Is it because this generation has more atheistic tendencies than the generation that preceded it? Not really. In order to gauge why Millennials see the festive season as more of a secular holiday, we need to see the festive season from a cultural perspective.

Is Christmas Religious Or Secular?

In order to determine why Generation Y prefers to ignore religious context in favor of its cultural counterpart, we need to look back on the nature of this holiday in a general context as well. Some people believe that a holiday that is made to stand alongside other secular holidays like Labor Day and Memorial Day has no reason to be called religious. Millennials are even less inclined to think so.

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The recent furor over Starbucks’s attempt at Christmas cheer explains the great divide. Some consumers were up in arms over the coffee company’s blank cups and dubbed it as a blatant attack on Christianity. Others however, poked fun at it instead. Consumers took social media by storm with the message #ItsJustaCup which mocks the controversy.

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A Materialistic Generation?

Ask any adult how they spend the holiday season and they will tell you that most of it was spent shopping for gifts, attending holiday themed parties or visiting their loved ones. Religion rarely comes into the equation. Younger adults are even less likely to associate religion with the holiday mainly because they tend to spend more. Even recent research estimates that millennials within the ages of 18 to 34 will replace baby boomers as the largest consumer group.

Is this generation too materialistic? Again, when it comes to judging how a certain demographic thinks, things are not always cut and dry. It is important to note that the millennial generation has access to countless online shopping resources. A plethora of mobile technologies make the prospect easier and convenient as well. This in turn, gives them the chance to be thriftier. How? Most would rather shop for items online because the prospect makes it easier for them to find the lowest prices of the items that they search for. Therefore the fact that this particular breed of consumers tends to be a bit more spend-friendly doesn’t come as a surprise.

Tis The Season To Be Jolly For Generation Y

Millennials prefer to celebrate more through activities like putting up decorations or hosting Christmas themed bashes than sit through church proceedings. In fact, research also suggests that few younger adults belong to any particular faith as compared to their older counterparts. They would rather dabble in the cultural aspect simply because it is more fun. Think Secret Santa parties at the office and eggnog. This is also why they tend to frequent religious services less often as well.

It is true that Generation Y is more interested in Christmas as a cultural affair as compared to a religious one. However, it is also important to note that the demographic also has easier access to resources that allow them to immerse themselves more in the cultural aspect of the holiday season.