It’s official, Christmas is a bit of a strain

Over a quarter of those polled believed that the festive season creates lots of arguments, while a fifth said that the financial pressures are too much. A further eight per cent of people said that they’d been dumped in the build-up to Christmas, adding to their festive woes.

Agony aunt, broadcaster and author Denise Robertson wasn’t surprised at the findings:

She said: “Christmas is a time of heightened emotions so if things are already difficult, they can get worse. For most people, happily, it’s a warm and wonderful time and for everyone the New Year brings the chance to put things right and start again.”

So it’s not all doom and gloom, and a third of people believed that the festive season is a great time for couples.

Regionally the figure was highest in the laid-back West Midlands, where just under half said they enjoyed Christmas with their partners.

That was in stark contrast to residents over the border in the East Midlands, where almost seven out of ten of those surveyed said that they felt the pressure on their relationships over the festive period.