How the popularity of US holidays varies by generation
In the United States, finding balance between working arduously at a job and meeting obligations to loved ones—not to mention finding time for a healthy social life and personal time—proves to be a perpetual balancing act. Perhaps that's why U.S. holidays are such a cornerstone in people's personal and professional lives.
From religious holidays like Hanukkah, which offer a time of reflection and gratitude, to joyous occasions like New Year's Eve, Americans appreciate the freedom to celebrate who they are on both a personal and community level while getting a needed reprieve from work. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that just 79% of workers in the private and state and local government sectors get paid time off for at least eight holidays per year.
Of course, the world continues to shift and—depending on the generation—attitudes and personal connection to certain holidays will differ, whether they are paid holidays or not. What millennials are more likely to celebrate may not be the same as those in Generation X. And it will certainly differ from baby boomers, who interestingly have a different top holiday than millennials and Gen Xers.
To discover which U.S. holidays are most popular with the different generations, Pyn used data from YouGov and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics surveys to rank the most favored national and religious holidays. The analysis breaks ties based on the familiarity of a holiday.
For context, YouGov defines baby boomers as those born from 1946–1964; Gen X as those born from 1965–1981; and millennials as those born from 1982–1999. Because the data is based on surveys, there is some level of error inherent in these rankings, and true values may vary. Here are the top holidays for three generations and their popularity among each group.
