Survey: Many adults plan Santa visits regardless of children

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- The Pew Research Center in Washington said its survey indicates many adults plan for Santa visit their homes even if they don't have children who believe.

The center said its poll of 2,001 U.S. adults, conducted Dec. 3-8, indicates 69 percent of parents with at least one child under the age of 18 plan for "Santa Claus" to visit their homes and leave gifts Christmas Eve, and about one in five adults without children or with children who do not believe in Santa said they are still planning for St. Nick to visit their homes.

Some 23 percent of respondents ages 65 and older said they are planning for Santa to visit their homes and 11 percent of people who said they do not celebrate Christmas said Santa will still be making a delivery at their homes.

The survey found 72 percent of respondents received regular Christmas Eve visits from Santa Claus when they were children.

Pew said the survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence.