From Virtual Halloween to Christmas in “Quaranteams” and Fist-Bumps under the Mistletoe, Bacardi Survey Reveals ‘Tis the Season to “Go Big and Stay Home”

As the country prepares for a holiday season like no other, Americans are looking for joy and celebration while ditching traditional festivities and embracing new rituals. Seventy-six percent of Americans say they’re changing how they celebrate this festive season in ways big and small. One in four plans on swapping a kiss on New Year’s Eve for a fist bump, and two-thirds are forgoing in-person gatherings, opting for virtual connects instead.

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Bacardi Holiday Festivities (Photo: Business Wire)

The Bacardi Holiday Survey 2020 reveals how Americans plan to celebrate this holiday season, as ‘home for the holidays’ takes on a new meaning, with most skipping travel and staying put.

• Halloween Means Dressing Up (Your Background). It turns out Halloween isn’t canceled as 53% of Americans still plan to dress up in costume. But this year, get-togethers are primarily online, as nearly 30% said that their top Halloween essential was a strong WiFi connection or a themed background for virtual trick or treating.

• Thanksgiving is About Adulting and Indulging. This holiday season, 1 in 4 won’t be traveling to see their family, so many will play host for the first time. Turkey continues to take center stage as the most essential dish of the night, but sweets will also count, with a staggering 70% saying that pie and fruitcake are essentials for the holidays.

• Radical Mixology Elevates the At-Home Celebration. Having spent lockdown sharpening their cocktail-making skills, one in four are now making drinks at home, and our portfolio of cocktail kits delivered to your door via Sourced Craft Cocktails is the perfect accessory for these new ‘resident’ bartenders. Cocktail creativity is on the upswing, with nearly 20% planning to challenge themselves to use unconventional mixers like Sriracha, olive oil (15%), and maple syrup (24%) in their at-home cocktails, showing a new boldness in at-home mixology. People also have strong opinions on who they’d choose to enjoy cocktails with – holiday entertaining guru Martha Stewart came out on top over Ina Garten, with 78% of Americans voting for her.

• Spiced Flavors Aren’t Just for Pie Anymore. Spiced cocktails and eggnog also made the cut, with close to 40% claiming they’ll be drinking more of these festive libations this year. BACARDÍ Spiced, which launched at the end of summer, and the popular BACARDÍ Coquito, both bring Fall flavors to the rum brand with a mix of spices that are perfect companions for fireplace or firepit celebrations. A spirit for all seasons, vodka continues to hold its crown as the most popular spirit in the United States, with 23% of respondents saying it will be their spirit of choice this winter, followed by whisky (18%) and tequila (11%). This bodes well for Bacardi as its portfolio of premium brands such as GREY GOOSE vodka, DEWAR’S blended Scotch whisky, and PATRÓN tequila continue to grow in the U.S.

• Quality Over Quantity Rules the Season. While Holiday Punch, Espresso Martini cocktail, and the Old Fashioned are top cocktail choices this season, people are also adding low or no ABV options to their repertoire of celebratory drinks as over 60% plan to opt for lighter serves. The quality of the spirit is what Americans care most about when choosing holiday cocktails, and Bacardi has seen a rise in demand for their premium brands across categories.

• Fast-Forwarding Joyful Traditions, Losing Others. A sign that people are looking for things that bring them joy is that half the respondents are fast-forwarding holiday cheer by putting up those fall colors and holiday lights earlier than usual. Going all out on décor won’t make up for the lack of face-to-face family time, as close to a fifth intend to celebrate Friendsgiving or Friendsmas instead of being with family. While Americans look for new ways to celebrate, some tried and true traditions won’t be missed. Good riddance to awkward conversations at the office Christmas party (40%), family feuds (37%), and the craziness of going out to stores for holiday shopping (40%).

• BOGO Takes on New Meaning this Festive Season. This season many will embrace a ‘buy one for you and get one for me’ attitude. 67% plan to buy a gift for themselves this holiday because it’s been a rough year and they want to treat themselves (57%). How they shop will be all about comfort and ease with 60% planning to buy presents from an e-commerce site, with nearly 70% of them hunting for a Black Friday bargain online or on Cyber Monday. Buying spirits – with whisky, vodka, and tequila topping the wish list – is easier than ever with new “shop” buttons on brand websites and partnerships with Cocktail Courier, Sourced, Reserve Bar and others bringing drinks to your door. ‘Tis the season for meaningful gifts (50%) as research shows 35% of the nation are handmaking gifts for others this year, putting their newfound pandemic crafting skills and a growing DIY trend to good use.

• 10, 9, 8….We Can’t Wait…to Call it Quits on 2020. As we round out the holiday season, we expect an extra loud and enthusiastic countdown to the end of 2020, with close to 70% of Americans planning to bid adieu to the year with intimate gatherings or virtual festivities. It does appear that we have a low bar this year for New Year’s resolutions, with 32% of Americans just hoping to get out of their sweatpants.

“Hope, hosting and help are the three big themes coming through this holiday season. Our research shows that as people plan festivities, they’re exploring options to make their homes feel like an escape and creating beautiful drink experiences with great tasting spirits is a key part of this experience,” says Brenda Fiala, Global VP Strategy Insights and Analytics for Bacardi. “Now more than ever, people are craving connection and looking forward to a holiday that is more than another ‘Blursday’ at home. We can see this anticipation as they double down on traditions and create new holiday rituals, and our family of brands and holiday gifting solutions are perfectly tailored to elevate these moments of celebration.”

Download Bacardi Holiday Trends 2020 Infographic.

About Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.

Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. is the United States import and distribution arm of family-owned Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world. The company boasts a portfolio of some of the most recognized and top-selling spirits brands in the United States including BACARDÍ® rum, GREY GOOSE® vodka, PATRÓN® tequila, DEWAR'S® Blended Scotch Whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, MARTINI vermouth and sparkling wines, the world's leading vermouth and the world's favorite Italian sparkling wines, and other leading and emerging brands. Visit http://www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.

Notes to the editor:

Those looking for a takeaway tipple can purchase a range of spirits and seasonal cocktails from across the Bacardi portfolio on the following platforms:

BACARDÍ Spiced Pumpkin Latte on Sourced Cocktails:

https://sourcedcraftcocktails.com/collections/draft-pass/products/q4-cocktail-iced-pumpkin-spiced-latte

DEWAR’S on Sourced Cocktails:

https://sourcedcraftcocktails.com/collections/draft-pass/products/q4-cocktail-cask-to-colada

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE on Sourced Cocktails:

https://sourcedcraftcocktails.com/collections/draft-pass/products/q4-cocktail-the-royal-gimlet

GREY GOOSE on Cocktail Courier:

https://www.cocktailcourier.com/cocktail/grey-goose-french-passion/

PATRÓN on Drizly:

https://drizly.com/search?q=patro%20

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