Nine out of ten look forward to Christmas

Christmas Advent in NorwayChristmas Advent in Norway.Photo: pixabay.com

Nine out of ten Norwegians look forward to Christmas

A new survey shows that 91% of Norway’s population are looking forward to this year’s Christmas celebration. 170,000 Norwegians enter the holiday season with a feeling of foreboding.

 

The figures are from a survey conducted by Ipsos for the Church Mission. 170,000 Norwegians, 4%, answered that they are stressed at Christmas.

‘For most, Christmas is something to look forward to. However, in the survey and in our daily lives, we see that some people are afraid, seeing Christmas as an additional burden for those who experience from a position of feeling like an outsider’, said Secretary General of the Church Mission, Adelheid Firing Hvambsal.

Those who worried about Christmas were also asked what they were expecting. Nearly a third responded, stress or time pressure.

Other with difficult family relationships (15%), economic stress (12%), and loneliness (15%).

‘Norway is a society where social differences are increasing. This may be especially noticeable in Christmas, where there are high expectations for community, partying, and extra spending. Then pressure feels extra strong, even though it is there throughout the year’, Hvambsal pointed out.

The survey was conducted among a representative sample of Norwegians above 15 years of age.

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today