If you’re already sick of seeing engagement announcements on your Facebook page from friends and colleagues who had the question popped over the holidays, you can put away your envy: A new study reveals that couples who get engaged within three weeks of Christmas are more likely to fail than those who get engaged at any other point of the calendar year.
The University of North Carolina has published findings stating that nearly 40% of all engagements taking place near Christmas will end before they make it to the isle, and nearly 80% of all Christmas engagements end in divorce.
What’s the cause for such a high failure rate? According to the college, men are less likely to think through their decision to wed when asking their brides-to-be around the holiday season.
“Much like singles feel the pressure to find a relationship around the holiday, couples often feel pressure to take their relationship a step further,” says study head and professor of psychology Erica Armstrong.
When the holidays come around, men often struggle to find appropriate gifts for women they’re in serious relationships with. Armstrong suggests that many men settle on the idea of a proposal as a Christmas surprise as they think it will make for a romantic surprise, but Christmas proposals are often not thought through in the long run.
“Men concentrate so much on having a romantic gesture during the holidays that they don’t put much thought into what follows with the commitment they’re making,” says Armstrong. “Most people who propose near Christmas are looking to have a proposal, not a marriage.”
Translation: If you get engaged around Christmas, you’re probably going to be single before long!
If you are one of the near 3.2 million couples who were given an engagement ring in December (this according to a New York Times article that was published this week), what can you do to make sure your engagement will turn into a lasting marriage? Simple: Plan for it!
The study went on to show that the men who planned the proposal based on the relationship and not on the time of year were twice as likely to have a successful marriage. Before you pop the question, think beyond the big moment: Do you want a marriage, or do you just want an easy present to give to your significant other? If it’s the former, enjoy the wedding! But if it’s the ladder, take advantage of the Sex Search Christmas sale prices– You’ll be glad you did in a few months from now!
