Universal Pictures/NBCTomorrow is the most common day of the year to get dumped, so a few people out there are about to get their hearts broken.
The strategy of the dumpers here seems quite clear. They celebrate Christmas and New Year with their other half, enjoy the gifts and successfully make it through the dark, cold nights when the desire to curl up with a partner is at its peak, but then their feelings start to change.
Valentine’s Day looms closer, and while one half of the doomed couple is probably looking forward to celebrating, the other is deciding whether they want to fight for love or move on.
Now, with just three days to go until the big day, those indecisive people know time is running out. Ending things on Valentine’s Day is truly heartless, but waiting until a couple of days afterwards will seem too obvious.
Universal PicturesAnd so this year, Red Tuesday is the day to dread.
A study by IllicitEncounters.com revealed more people split up during the week of Valentine’s Day than any other during the year, with the peak day falling a mere 48 hours before the 14th.
Here’s hoping everyone’s kept their receipts for presents! At least it won’t be long before all the chocolates become discounted and can provide some sugary comfort for newly single people out there.
As well as disclosing the peak dumping day, the research brought to light the most popular ways people decide to break the news to their soon-to-be exes.
According to The Sun, 31 per cent of the people who participated in the study admitted dumping their date by text, while 28 per cent did it over the phone. Shockingly only 27 per cent could actually face their partner and end things face to face.
PAThanks to the rise of social media eight per cent broke hearts over Facebook, four per cent via Whatsapp, and two per cent through Twitter.
While breaking off a relationship with a quick message seems cruel, I suppose it’s better than just ghosting. At least the recipient actually knows where they stand with a definitive dumping, as opposed to a sudden disappearance which allows the dumpee to convince themselves their partner must have been an undercover spy who suddenly got called away on a mission.
Speaking about the peak dumping day, IllicitEncounters.com spokesman Christian Grant said:
The period between Christmas and February is a popular time for people to spring clean their love lives as well as their homes.
This period of reflection reaches its peak in the week before Valentine’s when there are more break-ups than at any other time of the year.
For lots of people, it is easier to call time on a relationship rather than pretend everything is fine and tell lots of white lies.
I wish everyone in relationships the best of luck for tomorrow – I hope you make it through successfully!
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.