The press release was prepared by KIIS Director General Volodymyr Paniotto

During February 5-7 and April 16-22, 2021, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) conducted its own regular all-Ukrainian public opinion poll "Omnibus". By the method of computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) based on a random sample of mobile telephone numbers in February 2005 respondents and in April 2003 respondents were interviewed living in all regions of Ukraine (except the Autonomous Republic of Crimea). The sample is representative for the adult population (18 years and older) of Ukraine. The sample does not include territories that are temporarily not controlled by the authorities of Ukraine - the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The statistical error of the sample (with a probability of 0.95 and design effect of 1.5) does not exceed: 3.3% for indicators close to 50%, 2.8% - for indicators close to 25%, 2.0% - for indicators close to 10%, 1.4% - for indicators close to 5%.

Methodological remark

The question of which holidays are most important or favorite depends on the date of the survey. The closer to this holiday - the more often it is mentioned by respondents. Therefore, to study the dynamics, we usually ask about the holidays every year in February. We also conducted a survey in February this year, but because of Covid, not through a face-to-face interview, but through a telephone survey. A 2020 research found that there are 10% more people with higher education in a telephone survey than in a face-to-face survey, but we do not know which data are more accurate, because the census in Ukraine has not been conducted for 20 years. In addition, in a face-to-face interview, respondents look at a card with a list and choose more alternatives. The results of February 2021 were significantly different from last year, so we repeated this survey in April. Thus, we have the opportunity to determine how stable the preferences of Ukrainians are, how they depend on the date of the survey and the method of the survey. Comparisons of February and April 2021 by the same method provide information on the impact of the date, and a comparison of February 2020 and February 2021 shows the total impact of the dynamics of public opinion and the impact of the survey method.

Main results. 

• The survey method affects the percentage of those who choose certain holidays as the most important or favorite, but the hierarchy does not change. As the date of the holiday approaches, its assessment as important or favorite increases.
• The most popular religious holidays in Ukraine are Christmas and Easter (66% and 65% respectively), followed by the New Year (58%). The least popular are Labor Day (9%) and Constitution Day of Ukraine (9%)
• Over the last 10 years, the hierarchy of holidays has not changed radically. The three most popular holidays of Ukrainians are Christmas, Easter and New Year (70-80%), followed by International Women's Day and Victory Day (30-40%). Attitudes towards Ukraine's Independence Day have improved (from 15% to 31% in February). Then the Trinity and the Day of the Defender of Ukraine (20-30%), on the Day of the Defender of Ukraine there is a slight positive trend, the least popular holidays - Labor Day and Constitution Day (9-12%). There is a certain decrease in the attitude to the Victory Day, 10 years ago it was a favorite holiday for 50% of Ukrainians.  

• In April 2021, a relative majority of Ukrainians, 41% (39% a year ago) supported the celebration of both dates in Ukraine: Remembrance and Reconciliation Day - May 8 and Victory Day - May 9. According to 31% (there were 32%) of citizens, it is worth celebrating only Victory Day on May 9, 9% (there were 14%) believe that it is worth celebrating only the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation on May 8, and for another 10% (there were 9%) this issue is indifferent (data from the “Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives” Foundation and the Razumkov Center are also used here, see the link in the text of the press release)

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Because we typically measure attitudes toward holidays in February — some time away from the May holidays — the data below are mostly for February 2021 (more recent April data is used for comparison only).

Research has shown that Ukrainians generally treat holidays with love and respect; only 2% of respondents do not consider any official holidays as important or favorite.

The most popular official holidays of Ukrainians in February were such holidays (table 1) :

Table 1. Which of these holidays are most important or favorite for you? Please specify no more than 5 holidays, %

As we can see, in April 2021 the most popular religious holidays in Ukraine are Easter and Christmas (72% and 63% respectively), the least popular are Labor Day (12%) and Constitution Day of Ukraine. (14%).

Graph 1 shows what has changed in two months. 

Graph 1. Which of these holidays are most important or favorite for you?,%

                  Comparison of February and April 2021 (impact of survey date)