Christmas Causes Splits - Finds National Survey

SWINDON, England, December 18 - With a whole host of decisions to make in the lead-up to Christmas, it
seems that some of us are also going to use the festive season as a reason to
end our relationships.

We have all read the traditional Divorce Day stories that fly off the
presses as soon as we all head back to work in the New Year, but is it really
true that this is the worst time of the year for splitting up?

Divorce-Online.Co.UK decided to find out the truth and
commissioned a comprehensive survey to find out why.

Close to a quarter of UK adults agree that relationships with partners
become more pressurized during the Christmas period. Women are more likely to
take this view than men (26% vs. 22%). The residents of Bristol are also most
likely to feel relationships with partner can become more pressurized during
the Christmas period (35% vs. 16% in Birmingham and Cardiff)

Interestingly almost equal numbers of people believe money being tight
and arguing over trivial things are reasons why relationships become more
pressurized during the festive season (48% and 47%). Men are more likely than
women to feel that relationships feeling the strain are because of too much
pressure to buy perfect gifts (24% vs. 21%).

Almost two thirds of those surveyed agree that "a start to a new year
can make people yearn for a change in their relationship" (64%). People who
are separated or divorced are far more likely to agree with this statement
(74% and 71% vs. 69% of single people)

16% of the UK's adults have experienced an argument with a partner
during the festive season which made them contemplate splitting up, 9% have
experience a relationship breakdown during Christmas and 8% have ignored the
feeling of wanting to break up because it is Christmas

People who are divorced are most likely to feel that reasons for
relationship break downs during the festive season is due to people arguing
about trivial things (44%) and people having to spend time with a partners
family who they may not like (43%). People who are separated are most likely
to think that it is because it is a period to contemplate change (52%)

Over three quarters of the UK's adults agree that the stress of the
recession is more likely to separate couples (78%). Separated and divorced
people are more likely to take this view (87% and 87% vs. 78% of single
people)

A third of people agree with the statement "A minor incident is more
likely to end my relationship than a major one (32%)

Women are more likely than men to think the final straw in a
relationship is a thoughtless Christmas or Birthday present (43% vs. 38%).
Men are more likely to think that it is disagreeing about a TV programme (7%
vs. 4%)

Notes to Editors:

About www.Divorce-Online.Co.UK

Founded in 1999, Divorce-Online is the UK leader in online divorce
services and solutions that help people obtain an uncontested divorce without
the need to visit a solicitor. Divorce-Online.Co.UK have helped over 60,000
couples achieve an amicable divorce.

About the research

Research for Divorce-Online was carried out by Opinion Matters between:
18/11/2009 and 24/11/2009

Sample: 1560 UK Adults

A copy of the survey in PowerPoint format is available by e-mail upon
request.

    For more information contact:

    Mark Keenan
    +44(0)1793-600751
    +44(0)7921619770
    mark.keenan@divorce-online.co.uk

For more information contact: Mark Keenan, +44(0)1793-600751, +44(0)7921619770, mark.keenan at divorce-online.co.uk