Survey suggests Canadians expect to spend less this holiday season, expect 2010 to be better

TORONTO - A RBC survey says half of Canadians plan to spend less during the holidays this year, but the majority expect the country's economy to look up in 2010.

Forty-seven per cent of people surveyed said they plan to tighten their belts over the holiday period, and 18 per cent said they will not buy any gifts at all.

The RBC survey found 62 per cent of those surveyed expected the economy to improve once the new year rolls around.

The survey of about 1,000 Canadians was conducted between Nov. 9 and 16. A survey of this size is accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.