Press releases and reports
Attitude of the Ukrainians to public holidays, November 2018
Press release by Tetiana Piaskovska and Svitlana Khutka
On October 26 – November 4, 2018, Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) conducted an all-Ukrainian public opinion poll. Data were collected from 2043 respondents living in 110 settlements (PSU) in all oblasts of Ukraine (except for the AR of Crimea) with the method of personal interviewing. The sample was stochastic, and it is representative of the population of Ukraine aged 18 and above.
In Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts survey was conducted only in the territories that are controlled by the Ukrainian government, the sample is representative of the population of Ukraine aged 18 and above.
The statistical sampling error (with a probability of 0.95 and for a design effect of 1.5) does not exceed: 3.3% — for indexes close to 50%, 2.8% — for indexes close to 25%, 2.0% — for indexes close to 10%, 1.4% — for indexes close to 5%.
The research has shown that key public holidays are important for the overwhelming majority of the population. According to the rating of popularity, holidays are organized as follows:
- Christmas – 82,2%
- Easter – 81,7%
- New Year – 75,3%
- International Women`s Day – 42,9%
- Trinity – 37,2%
- Victory Day – 35%
- Independence Day of Ukraine – 22%
- Day of the Defender of Ukraine – 14,4%
- Day of International Solidarity of Workers – 10,8%
- Constitution Day – 8,2%
Compared to previous periods, the biggest increase is observed in the importance of celebrating the Independence Day, and importance of holidays such as the Day of the Defender of Ukraine and the Constitution Day also increased. The share of the population for which the International Women's Day was among the favorite holidays slightly decreased. New Year, Christmas, and Easter are stably among top-3 holidays.
At the level of sociodemographic differences:
- For women, religious holidays and International Women's Day are more important. So that Christmas is favorite and important for 84% of women and 79% of men, Easter - for 84% of women and 79% of men, Trinity - for 40% of women and 34% of men; International Women's Day - for 50% of women and 34% of men.
- For men, more important than for women are the Day of the Defender of Ukraine (20% vs. 10%), the Independence Day of Ukraine (25% vs. 19%). All other holidays for men and women have generally the same meaning.
- Such holidays with the religious context as Christmas and Easter are somewhat more popular among people with lesser education. But the most distinct differences in education can be seen in case of the attitude towards the Trinity – it is important/favorite: for 60.6% of the population with primary education; on average for 39% of people with secondary, special and bachelor education; and for 31.5% of people with complete higher education.
- The International Women's Day is on average less popular among people with incomplete secondary education (32.3%), as opposed to the rest (44% on average).
- The Constitution Day of Ukraine, the Independence Day of Ukraine and the Day of the Defender of Ukraine are often chosen as important by people with higher and secondary special education.
By age:
- Relation to religious holidays on average does not vary considerably for different age groups. Interestingly, the Trinity is more important/favorite for people under 30 years old.
- New Year is much more popular among younger people, and less popular among age group older than 70 years.
- International Women`s Day is also the least popular among people above 70 years old.
- Victory Day is more important for and more beloved by older people – there is a significant difference between the categories up to 40 (it is, on average, 28%) and after 40 years (here the attitude between the categories of people before and after retirement age varies considerably less).
- The Independence Day of Ukraine, the Day of the Defender of Ukraine and the Constitution Day are often chosen as the important /favorite holidays by the population under the age of 50.
By regional distribution:
- The largest number of those who consider religious holidays important is concentrated in the Western region (Christmas - 91%, Easter - 90%, Trinity - 58%). Trinity is less important for Southern (30%), Eastern (26%) and Central regions (31%). Christmas is important for 82% in the Central region, 77% in the South, and 73% in the East of Ukraine. Easter is important on average for an equal share of 79% of people in the South, East and Center.
- New Year is the most popular in Eastern region (89%), the least – in the Western region (55%). In Central region it is popular among 80% of the population, in the Southern – among 85%.
- International Women`s Day is the least popular among the residents of Western region (17%), the most – in Eastern region (60%). In Central and Southern regions it is loved by 50% and 52% of the population, respectively.
- Victory Day is the most respected and loved in the Southern and Eastern regions (49% and 55% respectively), and the least - in the Western region (11%); in the Central region, 36% of respondents consider it important.
- The Independence Day of Ukraine is considered to be the most important in the Western region (39%), in the Center it is significant for 19% of the population, and the least important it is in the South (15%) and Eastern (8%) regions.
- The Constitution Day of Ukraine as oneamong the favorites is called by 14% of the population in the Western region, and by an average of 6% in other regions.
- The Day of the Defender of Ukraine is loved the most in the Western region (22%), followed by the Central and Southern regions (13 and 12%, respectively), and the East (8%).
Addition 1. Formulations of the questions from the questionnaire
S0. On this card there is a list of State holidays of Ukraine sorted by the calendar. Which of these holidays are most important or favorite for you? Choose, please, no more than 5 holidays.
New Year |
1 |
Christmas |
2 |
International Women`s Day |
3 |
Easter |
4 |
Day of International Solidarity of Workers |
5 |
Victory Day |
6 |
Trinity |
7 |
Constitution Day of Ukraine |
8 |
Independence Day of Ukraine |
9 |
Day of the Defender of Ukraine |
10 |
NONE OF THESE HOLIDAYS IS IMPORTANT OR FAVORITE FOR ME |
11 |
DIFFICULT TO SAY |
12 |
DENIAL FROM ANSWERING |
13 |
Tables
Which of these holidays are most important or favorite for you? Choose, please, no more than 5 holidays.
Table 1. Dynamics in Ukraine in general, 2013 - 2018, %
|
2018, October |
2018, February |
2017 |
2016 |
2013 |
Easter |
81.7 |
82.0 |
80.0 |
81.0 |
83.0 |
Christmas |
82.2 |
81.0 |
80.0 |
79.0 |
79.0 |
New Year |
75.3 |
79.0 |
76.0 |
74.0 |
81.0 |
International Women`s Day |
42.9 |
45.0 |
49.0 |
37.0 |
49.0 |
Victory Day |
35.0 |
31.0 |
37.0 |
35.0 |
40.0 |
Trinity |
37.2 |
35.0 |
29.0 |
34.0 |
36.0 |
Independence Day of Ukraine |
22.0 |
16.0 |
17.0 |
20.0 |
12.0 |
Day of International Solidarity of Workers |
10.8 |
9.0 |
12.0 |
7.0 |
10.0 |
Day of the Defender of Ukraine |
14.4 |
11.0 |
10.0 |
|
|
Constitution Day of Ukraine |
8.2 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
4.0 |
NONE OF THESE HOLIDAYS IS IMPORTANT FOR ME |
1.2 |
3.0 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
DIFFICULT TO SAY/DO NOT KNOW |
0.9 |
0.0 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
1.0 |
Table 2. Difference by sex, %
|
Male |
Female |
New Year |
75.7 |
74.9 |
Christmas |
79.4 |
84.4 |
International Women`s Day |
34.2 |
50.1 |
Easter |
79.2 |
83.8 |
Day of International Solidarity of Workers |
12.2 |
9.6 |
Victory Day |
34.3 |
35.5 |
Trinity |
34.2 |
39.6 |
Constitution Day of Ukraine |
8.5 |
7.9 |
Independence Day of Ukraine |
25.1 |
19.3 |
Day of the Defender of Ukraine |
19.9 |
9.8 |
NONE OF THESE HOLIDAYS |
1.3 |
1.1 |
DIFFICULT TO SAY/DO NOT KNOW |
,7 |
1.0 |
Table 3. Differences by level of education, %
|
Incomplete secondary (school) |
Complete secondary (school, 11 grades) |
Secondary special (college, technical school) |
Higher: bachelor |
Higher: specialist, master |
New Year |
71.6 |
75.2 |
75.2 |
71.5 |
76.9 |
Christmas |
81.5 |
84.1 |
82.7 |
82.5 |
80.7 |
International Women`s Day |
32.3 |
44.9 |
42.0 |
43.5 |
43.8 |
Easter |
88.2 |
82.9 |
84.0 |
77.7 |
78.4 |
Day of International Solidarity of Workers |
13.9 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
9.4 |
12.1 |
Victory Day |
37.9 |
39.5 |
34.5 |
20.4 |
35.5 |
Trinity |
60.6 |
38.4 |
37.8 |
40.8 |
31.5 |
Constitution Day of Ukraine |
7.0 |
5.2 |
7.1 |
18.3 |
10.3 |
Independence Day of Ukraine |
14.4 |
17.3 |
19.5 |
28.1 |
29.7 |
Day of the Defender of Ukraine |
3.8 |
12.9 |
13.5 |
18.7 |
17.7 |
NONE OF THESE HOLIDAYS |
1.5 |
,6 |
1.6 |
1.5 |
,8 |
DIFFICULT TO SAY/DO NOT KNOW |
1.9 |
,3 |
1.4 |
1.8 |
,1 |
Table 4. Differences by regions, %
|
Western |
Central |
Southern |
Eastern |
New Year |
54.6 |
79.6 |
84.5 |
88.6 |
Christmas |
91.2 |
82.2 |
77.2 |
73.2 |
International Women`s Day |
17.3 |
49.9 |
51.7 |
60.4 |
Easter |
90.4 |
78.6 |
77.8 |
79.7 |
Day of International Solidarity of Workers |
2.6 |
13.8 |
14.0 |
13.7 |
Victory Day |
10.6 |
36.3 |
48.9 |
55.2 |
Trinity |
57.5 |
30.7 |
30.3 |
25.8 |
Constitution Day of Ukraine |
13.7 |
6.6 |
6.3 |
4.5 |
Independence Day of Ukraine |
38.8 |
19.0 |
15.4 |
7.7 |
Day of the Defender of Ukraine |
22.1 |
12.7 |
12.0 |
7.5 |
NONE OF THESE HOLIDAYS |
1.4 |
,7 |
1.0 |
2.4 |
DIFFICULT TO SAY/DO NOT KNOW |
,5 |
,6 |
,4 |
3.4 |
Table 5. Differences by age, %
|
18-29 |
30-39 |
40-49 |
50-59 |
60-69 |
70+ |
New Year |
84.1 |
78.2 |
76.1 |
73.8 |
74.0 |
59.6 |
Christmas |
77.0 |
85.4 |
82.2 |
83.5 |
84.7 |
81.7 |
International Women`s Day |
44.8 |
47.8 |
40.3 |
43.4 |
44.7 |
34.5 |
Easter |
78.5 |
81.3 |
83.9 |
84.1 |
82.0 |
81.3 |
Day of International Solidarity of Workers |
9.5 |
11.9 |
9.2 |
10.4 |
10.9 |
13.7 |
Victory Day |
28.2 |
27.6 |
33.5 |
38.3 |
46.3 |
42.7 |
Trinity |
30.1 |
37.0 |
42.6 |
37.5 |
41.7 |
37.2 |
Constitution Day of Ukraine |
11.7 |
6.4 |
9.6 |
8.0 |
6.7 |
4.9 |
Independence Day of Ukraine |
25.1 |
25.5 |
26.1 |
19.7 |
17.8 |
14.0 |
Day of the Defender of Ukraine |
17.4 |
16.7 |
14.7 |
12.4 |
10.8 |
12.0 |
NONE OF THESE HOLIDAYS IS IMPORTANT OR FAVORITE FOR ME |
,9 |
,6 |
1.0 |
2.2 |
1.5 |
1.2 |
DIFFICULT TO SAY |
,3 |
,4 |
,5 |
,8 |
,2 |
3.3 |
Regarding the commentary contact, please, Tetiana Piaskovska (tpiaskovskaya@kiis.com.ua) and Svitlana Khutka (svitkhutka@gmail.com)
26.12.2018
27.12.2018
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