It's Not Love, Actually

Two weeks before Christmas is one of the most popular times for unhappy couples to split, according to studies. So what’s the reason?

- Sarah Holmes & Tess Stimson

Who could forget that iconic scene in Love Actually when the curtains draw back at the school Nativity to reveal the Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) and his love interest, Natalie (Martine McCutcheon), passionately locking lips?

It’s a moment that sums up the sugary sentiment of Christmas. Because, at a time of year when everybody is supposed to be so full of love, who wouldn’t feel compelled to make a romantic gesture?

But just as Christmas brings couples closer together, so too can it drive them apart – according to some far-from-festive studies. After assessing the statuses of Facebook users over a year, London-based data analysts found that two weeks before Christmas Day is one of the most popular times for unhappy couples to call it quits.

A sentiment that TV presenter Carol Vorderman echoed during her 2016 I’m a Celeb stint, when she revealed she often dumped boyfriends before Christmas.

The timing might seem harsh, but is it really surprising that the prospect of buying expensive gifts and committing to visits with family forces many to reassess?

Woman speaks to one writer who dumped her partner before Christmas…

‘CHRISTMAS FORCED ME TO FACE WHAT I’D BEEN PUTTING OFF’

Tess Stimson, 46, is a writer who lives with her husband, Erik, 47, and three children.