Three out of five adult Filipinos expect a happy Christmas this year compared to only eight percent who expect it to be sad, resuls of the latest Social Weather Stations survey said Tuesday.

The SWS survey, conducted November 28-December 1, also said 27 percent of Pinoys say Christmas this year will be neither happy nor sad.

SWS said expectations of a happy Christmas have been unchanged, from 64 percent in 2004, 62 percent in 2005 and 2006 and back to 64 percent posted in 2007.

Expectations of a happy Christmas are higher in Visayas (70%) and Mindanao (70%), than in Balance Luzon (59%) and Metro Manila (55%). It is also higher among upper to middle classes ABC (71%) than among the very poor class E (65%) and masa class D (61%).

The survey also found that lechon baboy/baka, salads, and spaghetti and pasta dishes, and ham are the most anticipated foods this Christmas, and most Filipinos consider money/extra income, family and clothing as the best Christmas gifts they ever received.

When asked, “What is the one food or dish that you most look forward to eating this coming Christmas?” the top responses are lechon baboy/baka (14%), salads such as fruit salads and macaroni salads (12%), spaghetti and other pasta dishes (12%), and ham (10%).

Ham (16%) tops the list of most anticipated foods for Christmas in Metro Manila, while spaghetti and other pasta dishes (15%) are the most anticipated Christmas foods in Balance Luzon.

In Visayas and Mindanao, lechon baboy/baka is the most anticipated food this Christmas season.

Lechon baboy/baka and salads are the most anticipated foods for Christmas by both classes ABC and D. Among the class E, they also look forward to eat lechon baboy/baka, salads, spaghetti and other pasta dishes and pancit/palabok.

Money/extra income (14%), family (13%) and clothing (13%) are tied as the best Christmas gift ever received by the respondents. These are followed by good health (8%), personal belongings (4%), food (3%), household amenities (2%), a new child in the family (2%), job/livelihood (2%), and, love and affection (2%).