Survey: Consumers hate holiday crowds

Yonkers, N.Y. – Unsurprisingly, crowds and long lines are the single biggest consumer dread for the holiday season. According to a new Consumer Reports poll, 61% of consumers dread crowds and long lines, followed by bad traffic (54%).

Other popular holiday dreads include:



• Aggressive or thoughtless driving in store parking lots (48%)

• Gaining weight (34%)

• Getting into debt (31%)

• Fake holiday cheer (30%)

• Gift Shopping (18%)

• Seasonal movies playing repeatedly on TV (15%)

• Receiving gifts from people you didn't anticipate (13%)

• Seasonal music (13%)

• Disappointing gifts (12%)



In addition, when asked what their go-to gift was for someone they didn't know particularly well or someone that they hadn't planned to give a gift originally, 29% said gift cards. Other popular unplanned go-to gifts include: wine/other alcohol (16%), chocolates/dessert/candy (15%), and home accessories (11%).