A recent survey by Princess Cruises found that holiday seasons can be more stressful than relaxing for women and men alike. With women feel the pressure of cooking meals and hosting parties, while men feel stressed by shopping and receiving unwanted gifts.
The survey also found that nearly two-thirds (61%) of those surveyed need a vacation to recover from the holidays, the Persian daily Donya-e Eghtesad reported.
The survey indicates that while the holidays are a joyful time to spend with family and friends, the “busy-ness of the season does cause some stress”. Nearly half of those surveyed (46%) report they feel stressed during the holidays.
The survey is also pointed to women experiencing more stress than men. When asked what causes holiday stress, woman cited “cooking special meals and hosting holiday parties”, while the stressors for men were “shopping for presents, attending parties and receiving unwanted gifts” and over two-thirds agree that hosting family is hard work.
Although the results of the survey may appear as odd by non-western cultures, it did not focus on the negative side alone. When asked what they most enjoy about preparing for the holidays, respondents differed by gender. Nearly half of women liked shopping for gifts while only 30% of men liked this activity. More women than men liked giving presents (68% vs. 59%), decorating for the season (54% vs. 38%), and listening to holiday music (49% vs. 38%).
A very interesting finding of the survey is that while nearly three-quarters (72%) take vacation time during the holidays, nearly two-thirds (61%) need a vacation to recover from the holidays, with warm weather destination as the most desired post-holiday vacation. The least desired vacations cited were visiting a theme park and skiing.
Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company, and a recognized leader in worldwide cruising, which carries 1.7 million people each year around the globe.
