Christmas - the season of broken love

“The holidays can be emotional and challenging for couples,” says Los Angeles-based dating expert Yue Xu. According to a survey by the dating app Flirtini, three-quarters of online daters ended their relationships during the Christmas holidays.

“People tend to use the holidays as a time to reflect,” says Chantelle Otten, a dating expert at the dating app Bumble. “So it’s no surprise that there’s a spike in breakups during this time.”

Flirtini's 2022 survey found that reasons for breakups included pressure to invite the other person to holiday parties (50.6%), feeling the relationship was moving too fast (45.9%), and anxiety about gifts (40.4%). About 33% of respondents said they were happy to date during the holidays because they didn't want to be alone.

On this issue, experts advise giving each other space, accepting each other, and doing something new to get out of old habits.

Dating expert Rikki Dymond says the time and money spent on family, especially gift giving, adds to the pressure of the holiday season.

Rikki Dymond suggests talking about your financial expectations or limitations with your partner so you can come up with a reasonable budget together. "This not only helps you both agree on spending, but also helps you know what you want to give each other," Dymond shares.

Yue Xu, for her part, believes there should be a fair agreement about whose family to visit and for how long. The way to get out of the "breakup season" is to be honest with your partner about the feelings that may arise.

“Be honest about what's going on in the relationship. This kind of conversation will bring you both closer together,” she advises.