Divorce column January 2025

New year, New me
The festive season is traditionally associated with joy, togetherness
and celebration, but for many couples Christmas can be a
breaking point, so much so that the media dubs the first working
Monday of January as ‘Divorce Day’.
So why does Christmas spark divorces? Here are just a few of a
variety of reasons:
High expectation: According to song Christmas is romanticised
as the most wonderful time of the year. But for some, rather than
Love Actually it’s Stress Actually. When relationships are already
strained, high hopes of joy, family unity and generally good cheer
may not materialise and this can lead to or exacerbate tension,
disillusionment and conflict within the marriage.
Financial stress: Christmas can be costly. From buying presents
to going out socialising and hosting celebrations it all adds up
financially and people can find themselves spending money they
can’t afford and incurring debt they’ll struggle to repay. If there’s
already tension in a struggling relationship added financial strain
can soon make a bad situation worse.
Forced togetherness: The festive period often involves couples
spending extended amounts of time together and while this
can be a positive bonding experience for some, for others it can
expose or magnify discontent or other issues which have been
festering in the marriage, such as an affair, communication issues,
unresolved conflict, incompatibility or emotional distance.
Reflection: As a year ends people often reflect on their lives and
relationships and for some Christmas can bring on the realisation
that they are no longer happy in their marriage or that they no
longer want to continue in an unhappy marriage. This can prompt
them to consider making a fresh start and adopting a ‘new year,
new me’ mindset can lead them into deciding that the New Year
would be a good time to embark on their new start.
If you are someone facing or contemplating divorce in the New
Year then please get in touch – we have a lot of experience
advising, guiding and supporting clients in this area of law.