Does the Holiday Season Bring Couples Closer Together?

Christmas is historically the time for families to get together and enjoy one another's company, but if you trust what people post on Facebook, it's also the most popular time for couples to call it quits. According to Time magazine, the two weeks leading up to the Christmas holidays are the most likely time that someone will change their relationship status. The rationale largely boils down to finances. Couples heading into the yuletide season know they'll have to shell out some cash to keep their togetherness going, so they either need to be truly committed or turn into Scrooge. Besides the cost, there's also the socializing of Christmas to consider: going to parties together, visiting the potential in-laws, hanging out with friends, and so on. That puts a lot of pressure on a relationship, and many people appear to find it simpler to give up rather than struggling through the season's demands with someone they don't intend to stay with.

'Tis the season...

• Although 90 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas, only half of them go to church to honor its religious aspects.
• The Christmas classic "Jingle Bells" was originally written as a song for the Thanksgiving holiday.
• Red, green, and gold are the traditional colors of Christmas because green symbolizes life, red is tied to the blood of Christ, and gold means light and wealth.