When it comes to the holidays, it’s all about family and friends. No contest. When we asked participants in our 1Q community survey recently what they thought was the most important way to celebrate the season, 78 percent said it was to spend time with family or friends.
“Holidays are for a time of remembrance of what is important to you and cherishing what you have and what you have to give to others,” a 31-year-old Brookhaven woman said.
Others agreed. “It’s the time I can spend with family and friends and celebrate our relationship,” a 26-year-old Atlanta woman said.
And a 30-year-old Atlanta man thought warmly of the holiday season as the time for “going home to my mom’s house for old fashioneds and a warm fire.”
![“We do [a] night of Christmas worship and Christmas services at our church. We recognize that the holiday is about Christ and then giving activities in the area.”--Deanna Duram](https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/MOTS_Deanna-Duram-Dunwoody-300x450.jpg?resize=138%2C207&quality=89)
No other choice offered in our cellphone survey of 200 adults who were spread across the communities served by Reporter Newspapers and Atlanta INtown even registered a percentage of replies in the double digits. Two other categories – “giving and getting presents” and “enjoying the music, celebrations and pageantry of the season” – placed second by each attracting 6 percent approval from the respondents.
Just two respondents said they don’t celebrate the holidays at all.
Here’s what some of those who responded to the survey had to say:
“I love our family traditions. Gathering, lighting candles, eating latkes, showering grandchildren with love and presents.”
–a 66-year-old Buckhead woman
“I’m kind of disgusted by all the commercialism, and really try to downplay the gift-giving side of things and focus more on just feeling and expressing appreciation.”
–a 50-year-old Sandy Springs man
“Love and happiness!”
–a 27-year-old Dunwoody woman
“Sharing time with family and friends, making memories, tacky sweaters, sugar cookie decorating, and enjoying drinks by the fire!”
–a 24-year-old Atlanta woman
“It means traveling to be with family and drinking spiked egg nog with friends while frolicking through the Botanical Gardens!”
–a 27-year-old woman in Atlanta
“As I get older, holidays seem more and more corporate and, honestly, I buy into them more and more. But at the core, I will always love the warm feeling of being around family and friends and enjoying each other’s company.”
–a 24-year-old Atlanta woman
“Spending time with the people that mean the most you while celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.”
–a 30-year-old Atlanta man
“I love seeing the season through my children’s eyes.”
–a 37-year-old Buckhead woman
![“It’s nice to have everyone together. It doesn’t happen that often. ... We’re new to the area and working on establishing traditions, but we like to decorate the house [and] have a big dinner and a brunch for the kids after the gifts."--James Drago](https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/MOTS_James-DragoDunwoody-332x450.jpg?resize=175%2C237&quality=89)
“It’s a period of relaxation and reflection on the year behind in order to make room to look forward to the year ahead.”
–a 32-year-old Brookhaven man
“The holiday season is about spending time with the people you care about (family/friends), and making an effort to help others that aren’t as fortunate, such as the homeless, [the] sick, etc.”
–a 31-year-old man who lives in Sandy Springs or north Buckhead
1Q is an Atlanta-based startup that has developed a technology which sends questions and surveys to a cellphone via app or text message from businesses and organizations across the country. Respondents are paid 50 cents per answer, through PayPal, for sharing their opinions. Payments may also be donated directly to charity. Sign up to be included in our local community polls at 1Q.com/reporter or by texting REPORTER to 86312.