For some, the festive period acts as a magnifying glass, highlighting unresolved conflicts or a lack of connection that may have been easier to ignore during the rest of the year. These factors combined can leave some couples feeling that divorce is the only way forward as they head into the new year.
Is there a connection between Christmas and divorce?
Christmas is often blamed for early January’s spike in divorce – it’s no coincidence that the first working Monday of January is dubbed ‘Divorce Day’.
So, what is it about Christmas that can so often trigger divorce?
The additional pressures of Christmas
There are infinite deeply personal and unique reasons for a marriage to end. Far from being the sole catalyst for divorce or separation, it’s the additional pressures of the holidays that are often the final straw.
Busy Christmastime
All about the children
There’s an undeniable pressure to make Christmas special for our children, which can be particularly challenging if your marriage is coming to an end.
As you focus on creating a joyful experience for your children, differences in parenting styles and existing issues in your relationship can become more noticeable.
Sometimes parents will agree to ‘get through’ Christmas, knowing that in January they’ll begin divorce proceedings.
Delaying the start of divorce until after the school holidays is one of the reasons that divorce enquiries typically rise in January and September.
The most expensive time of the year
The past few years have stretched family finances, as the cost-of-living crisis hit. Household budgets have absorbed increases in the cost of essentials like food, utilities, and housing, leaving less for in the pot for Christmas.
For couples already feeling the financial strain on their relationship, the costs of Christmas can be a tipping point.
A happy front
Unless you’re comfortable making rifts and tensions obvious, you’ll likely try to put on a happy, united front over Christmas while you spend more time with friends and family.
You might be trying to shield children from the reality, or simply avoid signalling to others that things aren’t so good, to protect your privacy.
Either way, the pressure of keeping up the pretence is exhausting and is likely to deepen rifts rather than resolve the issues brewing between you and your partner.
Putting divorce off until the new year
The thought of making a life-changing decision about your marriage whilst the kids are excited about Christmas and your calendar is full of plans with friends and family, can feel just too overwhelming.
Instead, the Christmas period can provide a chance to pause, reflect, and gather your thoughts while you carefully consider your next steps. It may serve as a way to delay the decision, whether individually or as a couple, until life settles down and you can devote more time and energy to navigating the separation in the right way.
The truth about Christmas and divorce
Blaming Christmas for divorces oversimplifies the complexities of marriage and relationships. Rather than being a one-off event that causes divorce and separation, Christmas exposes fault lines that have been simmering beneath the surface long before December.
Get in touch
Whatever the time of year, if you’re thinking about divorce and would like to explore your options with a divorce law specialist, you can contact our family law team today.
