Divorcing for Christmas: This is how many people filed to end their marriage over the festive period

More than 400 people filed to divorce their spouses this year between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

The festive period can be an intensely stressful and reflective time, and for many this seems to be when they called it a day on their marriages.

Depressingly, a small number – 13 – of these divorce applications were submitted on Christmas Day itself, according to figures from the HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

The applications will no doubt have been made easier by a new process which allows spouses to upload documents and make applications online – meaning the notion of receiving divorce papers in the post might be a thing in the past.

As for why relationships break down over Christmas, there are a number of contributing factors, according to expert Michelle Zelli.

She says: “Whilst relationships can break down at any time of the year, any big occasions, milestones can cause us to reflect and sometimes to redirect our life and there is no bigger or more stressful event than Christmas.”

Factors such as a lack of moderation with spending and drinking, family drama and seasonal pressures are said to give the kiss of death to relationships at this time of year.

Badly-chosen presents and the temptation of past romantic partners coming back into our lives can also contribute to this breakdown, she explains.

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