This is what Canadians are stressing out about over the holidays (SURVEY)

Dec 16 2019, 8:47 pm

Not getting a gift for someone who got a gift for you; putting together a Christmas lunch that’s dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free; and let’s not forget having to listen to that one politically incorrect uncle (there’s always one). Although the holidays can be a time to relax, rejuvenate, and spend quality time with family, if you’ve spent one or two holidays in the past crying into your turkey, you’re not alone.

In a recent survey, PC Financial dug deep to find out exactly what holiday disasters people have been experiencing over the years, and the biggest things stressing people out.

Overspending on gifts

Holiday wrapping/Shutterstock

If you’ve overspent on gifts for the holiday this year or in years past, you’re not the only one. The survey found that 49% of Canadians have blown their budget over trying to find something for everyone over the holidays. That’s nearly half of the population!

And that’s not all. Seven out of 10 Canadians also said they’ve compromised on the quantity and quality of gifts they’ve bought for friends and family, which makes sense when you’re trying to save. But the most awkward part? Forty-three percent said that they’ve received a gift when they didn’t have one to give back. So. stressful.

People were even prepared to participate in some very un-fun scenarios in exchange for getting out of gift-related tasks. In fact, 35% of Canadians said they’d prefer to be in charge of removing snow at their home for a whole month instead of picking out gifts for everyone in their home. And 38% said they would ring in the new year solo rather than wrap all the gifts in their home.

Christmas cooking disasters

Christmas spread/Shutterstock

Already drooling at the thought of that Christmas turkey lunch? Although there’s nothing better than turkey, it’s usually not as exciting when you’re the one solely in charge of bringing Christmas lunch to life. If you’re not lucky enough to be in the company of a potluck-style Christmas meal, being the chef in charge of feeding everyone = stress.

If you find cooking for everyone daunting over the holidays, you’re not the only one. Almost half of Canadians say that preparing food is stressful, and 49% stress over working around food sensitivities. Canadians spend over 13 hours planning, cooking, and shopping for meals over the holiday period and 34% said they’d prefer to go to work on a Sunday than prep holiday dinner for their entire family. That’s a pretty big deal.


If you’re feeling overwhelmed with holiday stress, know that help is out there. Santa’s little helpers, aka PC Financial, have put together a Holiday Redemption Hotline so you can vent away all your stories about the cousin that said they were making gravy and forgot, or that awkward moment when you got given a new sweater by your in-laws and didn’t have anything to give back. By offering helpful tips, and helping you find an upside to your holiday disasters, they’ll help you redeem the holidays.

On December 7, from 6 am to 2 pm, you can call a PC Helper for advice on how to cope with your holiday disasters and get on with what’s important — having a great Christmas break. Callers could even earn a few PC Optimum points.

You can call the hotline at 1-833-909-1281 or visit PC Financial’s website to learn about the PC Financial MasterCard, which earns you PC Optimum points for every dollar you spend, no matter where you shop. It’s just another way to get ahead of the holiday stress this season.

Daily Hive Branded ContentDaily Hive Branded Content

+ Christmas
+ Sponsored
ADVERTISEMENT