Watching Movies: A Holiday Tradition for Nearly Half of Canadians Celebrating the Season

TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2012 /CNW/ - Canadian holiday traditions may be changing, as families are curling up to watch movies during the holiday season. New research from Netflix and Leger Marketing shows that watching movies together is amongst the top five holiday traditions in Canada.

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According to the survey of Canadians who celebrate the holidays, over half (58 per cent) of households with children reported that they watch movies together during the holidays. Holiday dinners, cooking, baking and shopping were also listed as top family traditions.

"The holidays are all about relaxing and spending time with loved ones, so it's no surprise that watching movies is a growing family tradition," Jerry Kowal, Director of Content at Netflix. "Canada is a tech savvy country, and the fact that Netflix is available on over 800 devices makes it even easier to incorporate at-home entertainment as a valued holiday tradition."

While watching movies is a big part of Canadian holiday traditions, another holiday tradition, purchasing gifts, isn't easy for the majority of those surveyed. Netflix research shows that 62 per cent of Canadians who participate in holiday gift giving say that it's difficult to find a gift the entire family can enjoy, while the same amount (62 per cent) say it's hard to find the perfect gift while staying within a set budget.

Even though Canadians find it difficult to find the perfect gift, most believe it's the thought that counts. For many Canadians, a meaningful gift doesn't include a hefty price tag as the majority of Canadian gift givers (86 per cent) feel you don't need to spend a lot to give a great gift; half (49 per cent) say it's possible to purchase a great holiday gift under $10.

"The holidays can be a stressful time for Canadian bank accounts and it's hard to find a great gift for under $10," said Kowal. "At just $8 a month for unlimited TV and movies, gifting a Netflix subscription provides great value for gift-givers weary of going into the red this holiday season."

Additional findings among gift givers from the Netflix survey:

• Sixty-nine per cent think it's hard to find a great gift at the last minute
• Three quarters can name a gift under $10 they'd be happy to receive
• Over three quarters say it's possible to purchase a meaningful gift online
• Sixty-nine per cent think it's difficult to find a great last minute gift
• Eighty-three per cent try to avoid crowds when holiday shopping
• Forty-two per cent shop online to avoid crowds and lineups

About Netflix:
With more than 30 million streaming members in the United States, Canada, Latin America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Nordics, Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) is the world's leading Internet subscription service for enjoying movies and TV programs. For one low monthly price, Netflix members can instantly watch movies and TV programs streamed over the Internet to PCs, Macs and TVs. Among the large and expanding base of devices streaming from Netflix are the Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Sony PS3 consoles; an array of Blu-ray disc players, Internet-connected TVs, home theater systems, digital video recorders and Internet video players; Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, as well as Apple TV and Google TV. In all, over 800 devices that stream from Netflix are available. For additional information, visit www.netflix.com. Follow Netflix on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Survey:
A total of 1009 Canadians who celebrate the holiday season completed an online survey between October 4 and October 8, 2012 using Leger Marketing's online panel, LegerWeb. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20.

SOURCE: Netflix, Inc.

Kiel Hume, Environics Communications, [email protected], [phone], or Amanda Fearon, Environics Communications, [email protected], [phone]

http://www.netflix.com

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