Big Ben strikes, arms are crossing chests and everyone chimes in on Auld Lang Syne.
New Year is about tradition and remembering the past, but most people also look forward to a fresh start.
New Year’s resolutions deliver hope for the future, and old traditions replace new ones, and some are maybe for the better:
In old Victorian London days, young lads would hang around the bakeries in front of the many goods on display for New Year, only to nail people, by their coats, to the shop window frame for a laugh.
New Year’s resolutions date back 2000 years and have historical religious ties, but have in relation to “Pins and Beadles”, become a modernised version to suit current times, and will hopefully only keep one nailed to the gym.
Online bingo provider Heart Bingo has compared research and survey data on resolutions and trends within the tradition of London specifically.
Are New Year’s resolutions a generational commitment?
The analysis of New Year’s resolutions across generations in the UK reveals a clear pattern: the likelihood of making resolutions decreases with age.
In 2023, 23% of Generation Z respondents expressed their intention to set resolutions. However, this figure gradually declines among older generations, with 22% for 43-50-year-olds and only six percent for people over 50.
When looking at London specifically, 21% of the survey takers indicated that they would take up a New Year’s Resolution for 2024.
When diving into the data, some key areas stand out, such as health and career commitments for the new year.
Health and Fitness Resolutions in London
Historically and around the globe, fitness, training, and health goals have always been the top priority, especially in the past decades. The outlook for 2024 is no different, but with one important observation for London, compared to the rest of the UK:
Which of the following New Year’s Resolutions do you intend to make?
Doing more exercise or improving my fitness:
· London 39%
· North 54%
· Midlands 61%
· Rest of South 62%
National Average Results:
· England 56%
· Wales 71%
· Scotland 52%
Awareness of fitness and health when living in a large city is a factor where pollution, commuting to and from work, sitting in meetings or in front of a computer days at end, act as a constant reminder of citizens’ living conditions.
It’s easy to assume that most people are already pro-active regarding exercise and health in a city like London. A little bit like avoiding bakeries on New Year’s.
Career ambitions stand out.
Many people from the UK and the rest of the world have moved to London for work or career opportunities. Citizens live on the doorstep of one of the greatest cities when it comes to career options, and it’s only natural that the London crowd stands out when asked about specific New Year’s Resolutions pertaining to career choices:
Which of the following New Year’s Resolutions do you intend to make?
Pursuing a career ambition
· London 33%
· North 23%
· Midlands 20%
· Rest of South 13%
It is not a surprise that a third of London residents looking for a change in 2024 are prioritising their careers or looking at career opportunities.
Closely related to career and finances and always ranking high in polls on resolutions is saving more money, where the London average is more aligned with other regions:
North 50%
Midlands 54%
London 52%
Rest of South 44%
When looking at other countries the responses pertaining to financial goals for 2024 look very similar for this year, but is also a historically popular choice and action to take as a New Year’s resolution.
