More Americans believe there is a war on Christmas, poll finds

Jessie Gomez, Morristown Daily Record
·4 min read

This year, more Americans believe that a war on Christmas exists, poll results show.

More Republicans, Trump supporters and Hispanic Americans said they believe Christmas is under attack. Nearly 4 in 10 Americans surveyed said politicians are trying to remove the religious elements of the Christian holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus, shows a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll.

"Trump made this his centerpiece claim in the 2020 campaign, and in 2018, he declared victory on the war on Christmas," said Dan Cassino, executive director of the FDU Poll. "This is the highest we've ever seen it. The big shift is due in part by Trump supporters."

The war on Christmas is the belief that politicians and society are trying to remove Christian elements from the holiday and replace them with secular or non-religious elements, Cassino said.

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The sentiment is widely popular among conservatives and gained traction after Fox News host Bill O'Reilly promoted a 2005 book by John Gibson that alleged that liberals were kicking Christianity out of Christmas. The idea is also concerning to some parents who believe schools should wish students a merry Christmas instead of happy holidays and include more religious language around the holiday.

According to the poll, evangelical or “born again” Christians are also more likely to believe in a war on Christmas than those who don’t hold those religious views.

"It is something that basically exists in conservative media," Cassino added. "They believe this is the first step towards abortion on demand and gay marriage."

Over the years, Fox News has widely reported the idea of a war on Christmas. In 2016, the network pointed to former President Barack Obama's holiday card, which did not mention Christmas in the seven years before. Mentions of the idea in conservative news had decreased until former President Donald Trump began discussing it in interviews and speeches.

Ridgefield Park holds it's 127th Fourth of July parade on Monday, July 5, 2021. Santa, played by Frank Vopasek of Little Ferry, listens to early Christmas presents wishes by Violett Raguseo of Little Ferry.
Ridgefield Park holds it's 127th Fourth of July parade on Monday, July 5, 2021. Santa, played by Frank Vopasek of Little Ferry, listens to early Christmas presents wishes by Violett Raguseo of Little Ferry.

"This has become so ingrained among Republicans and conservatives. They know it's a real thing that happens," Cassino said. "That's part of the divide. For Democrats, this is not even on their radar."

Cassino said the best predictor of belief in the war on Christmas is based on vote choice in the 2020 presidential election. According to the poll, 71% of those who say they voted for Trump in 2020 say there is a war on Christmas, compared with 14% of Biden supporters. Additionally, 51% of Trump supporters “strongly” agree with the sentiment.

"[Trump's] embrace of the war on Christmas narrative has made it an article of faith for his supporters,” Cassino added.

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With a new president leading the nation, Cassino said, he didn't expect to see a rise in belief in the idea. The belief in the war on Christmas is up from 29% in 2013.

The study also found that older Americans are more likely to believe in such a "war." The belief among Americans under 45 has remained stable over the past eight years, but the belief among older people has shot up. Today, 35% of Americans 65 and older say there’s a war on Christmas, alongside 49% of Americans 45 to 64. In 2013, 26% of voters 45 and over said the same. The rise is also popular among Hispanic Americans who identify as evangelical or Christian. Cassino also said the popularity of the idea among Hispanics can be attributed to the rise of Latino and Hispanic Trump supporters.

People from around northern New Jersey look at homes on the 200 block of Forest Ave. in Lyndhurst, which are decorated with Christmas lights. Sunday, December 13, 2020
People from around northern New Jersey look at homes on the 200 block of Forest Ave. in Lyndhurst, which are decorated with Christmas lights. Sunday, December 13, 2020

“The war on Christmas is a central example of how divided our culture has become,” Cassino said. “Republicans and Democrats are living in two different worlds, seeing different threats, so it’s no surprise they have trouble agreeing on just about anything.”

Despite the increase, he said, the idea isn't as popular in New Jersey's diverse communities.

"This idea is geographically centered," Cassino added. "Other parts of the country are not as diverse, and this idea of a war on Christmas is very new."

The survey was conducted between Nov. 9 and 16 using a certified list of registered voters. Respondents were chosen at random. There were 802 respondents for the surveys, conducted only in English.

Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private university in New Jersey with campuses in Florham Park and Teaneck.

Jessie Gomez is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com and NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: jgomez@gannettnj.com

Twitter: @jessiereport

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: FDU poll finds more Americans believe there's a war on Christmas