455 divorce applications filed over Christmas
According to figures from the Ministry of Justice, a total of 455 people filed applications for divorce between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day. On Christmas Day itself, 13 people used the new online application service to submit their divorce petitions.
As the online service was only launched in May 2018, this is the first year for which figures are available for divorces filed over bank holidays like Christmas Day. It’ll be interesting to take another look at the same time next year to see whether anything has changed.
Why do more people get divorced just after Christmas?
There are many potential reasons why the festive break and divorce rates are so closely linked. For example:
- Couples want to give it ‘one last Christmas’. We all associate Christmas with family and togetherness, as well as it being a special occasion and a holiday from work. It’s understandable that couples whose relationship is rocky will want to give it one last try, similar to the optimism before a ‘make or break’ holiday.
- The financial and emotional stresses of Christmas. It’s easy to put too much pressure on yourself to have the ‘perfect’ Christmas, and this can also result in spending too much money on presents, food, drink and decorations. Financial strain can cause arguments, and push deteriorating relationships too far.
- Alcohol! For many people, alcohol consumption is higher at Christmas than at other times of year. This can result in more inappropriate behaviour, as well as volatile arguments where you say things you wouldn’t normally say. Accusations and feelings that have been held back may come out into the open, bringing relationship crises to a head.
- Spending lots of time together. When a relationship is not working well, couples can be tested by spending such an intense and prolonged amount of time together during the Christmas break. It could, of course, really help you to reconnect with each other. However, in some cases it has the opposite effect.
Where to seek help if you’re facing divorce
If Christmas has been the final straw for your relationship and you’re looking for a fresh start for 2019, contact Wirral divorce lawyer Tracey Miller Family Law for expert advice you can trust. Please give our friendly team a call on 0151 515 3036 or contact us online and we’ll be happy to help.
We are on hand to assist whether you’re planning to apply for divorce online and want a trained eye to double-check everything first, or you need more intensive help in person when dealing with more complex circumstances.