MOSCOW, December 31 (RIA Novosti) - Russians expressed their New Year's wishes as finding a new job, staying healthy, and happiness among their family members and close friends, according to a survey released on Wednesday.

The survey, which was carried out for RIA Novosti across Russia on December 19, asked 2,500 respondents aged 18 and over what they wished for in the New Year.

The most popular answers among the respondents were a new job (26%), health (15%), happiness among their family members and something nice for their close friends (13% each), and money (12%).

Finding or changing work was expressed evenly among men and women alike (26% and 27% respectively), and the amount of monthly salary was not a determining factor for those 20 years and older.

Wishes for good health were noted among respondents 40 years and older. 20% of those surveyed in that age bracket wished for health.

Women more than men wished for love in the 20-to-40-year age bracket (16% and 10% respectively), whereas those under 20 and those over 50 expressed that wish much less (1% and 6% respectively).

Happiness among family members and close friends was expressed more by women (21%) and people over 50 (18%).

Youths aged 18 to 19 wished for an apartment or a car (16%), money and health (14% each), career growth (15%), and of having a child (13%). Overall, the wish for a child was seen among only 3% of those polled, most of them being in the 18-19-year-old bracket.

The main wish of 5% of those polled was an end to war and crime.

Wisdom, spiritual well-being, stability and "so that things didn't get worse," were among other wishes expressed for the New Year, according to the survey. Some also wished to learn how to fly, for people to be nicer, and for snow.