It’s no longer ‘news’ that millions of North Americans at the bottom of the income ladder are strug-gling to make ends meet. But have we come to the point where we’re compromising on beloved family holiday traditions?
The short answer is… ‘Yes’. But the longer, more accurate answer, lies in how drastically we are com-promising, and in what respects?
A snapshot…
Butterball – a name that has become synonymous with Year-end-Holiday feasts – has issued its Annual Togetherness Report. Food & Wine describes it as, a detailed survey on America’s, “collective hosting styles, preferred mains, and sides.”
But it’s really much more than that. It’s a rarely-opened window on how economic trends are impact-ing greater North American culture, as a whole…
Key findings…
The key findings of the 2024 survey stack up as follows…
The Main
- 87% of hosts plan to serve turkey.
- 76% of hosts will celebrate with a whole turkey.
- 74% of hosts will serve a traditional oven-roasted turkey.
“It’s clear people are committed to celebrating Thanksgiving with turkey at the center of the table again this year, despite outside influences, like inflation,” Rebecca Welch, Director of Retail and International Brand Management for Butterball, shared.
The Sides
Stuffing has eclipsed Mashed Potatoes as the most preferred side dish for the traditional Turkey Feast this year.
- 44% said stuffing is their favorite side.
- 32% said pie (main course pies such as Sweet Potato and Squash).
- 27% cited potatoes as their ‘must-have’ festive side.
Overall
- 98% of consumers expect inflation to impact their holiday plans in some way.
- 52% are not planning to make changes to their menus in order to save money.
- 44% expect inflation to have an even greater impact than last year than last.
Impacts ‘digested’…
- 44% of respondents are expecting to make some sort of accommodation to their usual Holiday plans to save money. Of those…
- 18% say they’ll cut back on non-food items such as paper goods or décor.
- 17% say they’re prepared to cut the number of side dishes they’ll serve.
My take
This will be the first year since the Second World War that many North Americans will feel a real, palpable pinch to their wallets over the Festive Feasts they plan for US Thanksgiving. Christmas, New Year’s Day and other traditional year-end celebrations.
My questions to you:
Is your family among those whose Year-End Holiday celebrations will be impacted by high food prices and/or the diminished buying power of your pay cheque(s)? If, ‘yes’…
What changes – if any – are you planning to make to compensate for that impact?
Do you feel/fear changes will damage or diminish your enjoyment of the Holidays? The strength of your Holiday traditions? The unity and ‘togetherness’ of your family?
Muse on that…
~ Maggie J.