National Break Up Day 2023
It might be cuffing season, but surprisingly, December 11th holds the record for the most breakups in a single day.
Back in 2008, a study on Facebook revealed that this specific date sees a surge in relationship endings for various reasons.
The folks at ‘Information Is Beautiful’ figured this out by checking when users changed their relationship status to ‘single.’
Lovers beware! Today is "Peak Breakup Day" pic.twitter.com/He01ir8Xa0
— Information is Beautiful (@infobeautiful) December 11, 2023
Even though Facebook relationship status updates aren’t as trendy nowadays, data still suggests that December 11th remains a prime choice for breakups.
Whether intentional or not, this date stands out for a few reasons.
As reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, the festive season prompts some couples to reflect on the year, potentially realizing that their issues haven’t been resolved.
Dating expert Renee Slansky explains, “As the year ends, couples may break up, thinking that the problems in their relationship should have been fixed by now, and they don’t want to carry the same issues into a new year.”
This breakup tendency around December 11th might also be linked to the proximity to Christmas festivities, strategically avoiding a breakup on Christmas itself.
Psychologist Marny Lishman suggests that the stress and pressures during this time contribute to December 11th earning its nickname as ‘breakup day.’
“In many cases, people become overwhelmed, leading to feelings of stress. When people are stressed, they can become disconnected, irritable, and unhappy,” says Lishman.
Dr. Dorree Lynn supports this, telling ABC News that spending Christmas together is as ‘intimate’ as it gets for a couple. Those not meant to be tend to realize this around December 11th.
Adding to the tension, according to Dr. Lynn, is the challenge of gift-giving. Particularly for newer couples, issues may arise about the level of intimacy involved in gift exchanges.
“People get frightened because they don’t want to pressure the other person, but at the same time, they don’t want to feel foolish giving something without receiving anything in return.”
