Belief in Santa Claus drops dramatically in 2023

A hefty portion of Christmas celebrants might end up with coal in their stockings this season.

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Do you believe in Santa Claus? Year to year, fewer New Yorkers do.

A newly released Siena College poll shows that only 26 percent of New Yorkers believe in Santa Claus, down from 39 percent the year before.

26 percent is an all-time low in Siena College's polling, tied with 2020 in a survey that goes back to 2010.

In 2021 and 2022, belief in Santa made dramatic jumps upward, but it seems three-quarters of Christmas celebrants might end up with coal in their stockings this season.

Looking at recent years, belief in Santa Claus himself seems to partially coincide with New Yorkers' excitement over the holiday season, as well as the percentage of those who put up a Christmas tree in their home.

In 2020, 59 percent of those polled were "very or somewhat excited" for the season, and an even greater percentage of people said they were excited in 2021 and 2022. But like belief in Kris Kringle, it went down this year.

From 2020 to 2022, the percentage of those who put up a tree went from 67 percent to 78 percent, but down to 73 percent in 2023.

If you'd like to see the full results of the holiday poll, click or tap here.