In contrast to those anxious to return home during the Spring Festival, some young people who work and live away from their hometowns have decided not to go back home for the holiday.

According to a recent survey conducted by the China Youth Daily, over 41 percent of the 1,840 respondents said they fear returning home during the Spring Festival.

The high cost of returning home tops their reasons, according to 70 percent of respondents. Other reasons include the stress of the travel rush (38.2%), parents urging marriage (37.2%), trouble sending presents to relatives and friends (36.6%) and too many expensive social engagements (26.1%).

Wu Bo, a clerk who works at a private company in Beijing, said he has to spend at least 7,000 yuan on returning home to southwestern China's Chengdu. His expenditures include 2,800 yuan for a round-trip ticket, 3,000 yuan on presents for family, no less than 500 yuan in gifts for children, and about 1,000 yuan for social engagements. With a salary of around 3,000 yuan a month, he had to begin saving money last October.

Of the various costs, the most unendurable is the cost of presents for relatives (54.8%). The following two are social spending (17.9%) and travel fees (15.5%).

The survey also shows that fear of losing face for not achieving enough or making enough money is the main reason that this group doesn't want to go back home, as 69.4 percent of the responders chose that option.

For many young people working outside their hometowns, returning home without enough money or presents will make themselves and their parents lose face in front of neighbors and friends. They would rather avoid this gossip by not going home.

Lu Shizhen, a professor at the China Youth University for Political Sciences, said a fear of returning home for these reasons is "very unnecessary."

"Although the era has changed, the tradition of reunion at the Spring Festival will not change," Lu said. He said most parents don't care whether their children are rich or not, their only wish is for them to come back safely. It is also unnecessary to buy expensive presents, said Lu, because sincerity is more important.

Lu's opinion was supported by more than half of respondents, who said people should break the old notion of "face" and realize that families wish for happiness and health more than anything else.

Psychologist Zhong Gulan suggested that young people plan their Spring Festival spending according to their own incomes and not worry too much about what other people think. "The most important thing is, what kind of Spring Festival do you want!"