POUGHKEEPSIE – As the holiday season unfolds, more Americans are feeling stressed than in years past, according to a new national Marist Poll. While the country remains evenly divided over whether the holidays are more fun or more anxiety-filled, the share of people who find the season stressful has increased sharply since 2022.
The poll, conducted between December 8th and 11th among 1,440 adults nationwide, shows that 50 percent of Americans now say the holiday season is more stressful, matching the 50 percent who describe it as more fun. Just three years ago, the balance tilted strongly in the opposite direction, with 61 percent calling the holidays more fun and only 37 percent reporting higher stress.
Financial pressure appears to be a major factor. Six in 10 Americans earning less than $50,000 a year say the holidays are more stressful, while a majority of higher-income earners, 55 percent, still describe the season as more fun. Even so, stress levels have risen across income groups. In 2022, fewer than one-third of higher earners said the holidays were stressful.
Interestingly, political affiliation played a role among respondents. Most Democrats surveyed, 57 percent, say the holidays bring more stress, while 61 percent of Republicans say they are more fun. Independents are more evenly split.
When it comes to how people want to spend the holidays, Americans show a strong preference for staying close to home. More than eight in ten respondents say they would rather stay home than travel, a finding that could have implications for holiday travel and local businesses alike.