Analytics, Culture, Estonia, Society
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Saturday, 20.04.2024, 15:24
Survey: Estonian children know candy-bringing gnomes are 'real' up to age 7
Of all the responses given by the survey's target group aged
15-84, 31% put the age of a child likely to last cherish this belief at 6 or 7.
Among parents of two or more children under 16 years of age, the ratio of such
responses was as high as 38%.
One in five respondents considered children to be likely to
be sure about the realness of the little creatures up to age 10, whereas for 16%
of respondents that age for children was 11 or above.
Kersten Jogi, lead expert at Kantar Emor, said commenting on the findings of the survey that
older children tend to be rather smart.
"They know very well that it pays to let parents know about
their continued and avid belief in gnomes, because gnomes will not visit those
who do not believe," Jogi said.
Across all age groups, 38% of residents of Estonia get small
gifts from gnomes in their stocking or slipper during Advent. This is the
case in as much as 82% of families with two or more children. In accordance
with tradition, the stocking or the slipper is left on the window sill for the
night.
Of families with children, just over a quarter get a visit
from Santa Claus, which according to Estonian tradition is most likely to
happen some time during Chiristmas Eve when the family has gathered for the
Christmas dinner. The rest of the families who get gifts for Christmas discover
their gifts left by Santa under the Christmas tree.
The survey revealed a very big difference in people's
preferences when it comes to the choice of the Christmas tree, which can be
found in the homes of 78% of the country's residents during the holiday. Where
of ethnic Estonian residents 59% put up a natural Christmas tree and only 27%
an artificial tree in their home, of people of other ethnic
backgrounds 44% prefer an artificial tree and only one in five a natural
tree.
According to Jogi, the survey did not specify whether by
Christmas it means the more traditional dates of Christmas Eve on Dec. 24
and Christmas Day on Dec. 25, or the Russian Orthodox Christmas celebrated two
weeks later.
"We left the Orthodox Slavic people living in Estonia
the freedom of choose what they mean by Christmas," Jogi said. "When
I asked my colleagues at work whose first language is Russian what they mean by
Christmas, the answer was that it's the same December 24-26 holidays."
The survey also reveals that where one in five Estonians
goes to church on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day, among people of other
ethnic backgrounds this ratio is significantly lower at 11%.
"It is likely that of Estonian Russians a considerably
bigger portion will go to church, but it happens in January, in accordance with
the old calendar," Jogi said.
Older residents and residents of smaller towns and rural
settlements are more likely to go to church during Christmas than other
categories of residents in Estonia, the survey indicates.
Of all respondents, 70 % said that their family will gather
for a Christmas meal during the holiday and 57% that they make gifts to one
another. The tradition of a common Christmas meal is more widespread among
ethnic Estonians than other residents, however.
The ratio of people who do not celebrate Christmas is 6.5%
in Estonia, and as high as 12% in the Russian-speaking segment, according to
the survey. To some extent the latter ratio may be attributable to many such
people celebrating Christmas in January. Of ethnic Estonians, 4% turn Christmas
the cold shoulder.
Asked about their family's spending on Christmas gifts this
season, 22% said that it does not exceed 50 euros, for one in five respondents
it was from 51 to 100 euros, and for slightly over half of families up to 200
euros. Families spending over 300 euros on Christmas presents made up 12% and
the ratio of such answers was higher among people of other ethnic backgrounds
than among ethnic Estonians.
The survey was conducted by Kantar Emor by interviewing
more than 1,100 residents of Estonia.