Don't let the pressure get you down

FIFTY-five per cent of Brits believe that Christmas puts pressure on relationships, according to a poll by Visit Birmingham.

Over a quarter of those polled (27%) believed that the festive season creates lots of arguments, while a fifth (20%) said that the financial pressures are too much. A further 8% of people said that they’d been dumped in the build-up to Christmas, adding to their festive woes.

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

“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 (34%) believed that the festive season is a great time for couples.

Emma Gray, Director of Marketing Services for Visit Birmingham, which aims to draw people to the city over the festive season, said:

“It’s great to hear that couples in Birmingham enjoy spending time with their partners most over the festive period – and with world-class cultural attractions, a sumptuous dining offer and the biggest German Christmas Market in the UK the city really is the perfect place to ignite romance on a cold winter’s night!

“Christmas evidently can get stressful for couples, who need to take some time out to relax over the festive period – what better than a short city break away?”

The survey was conducted by Visit Birmingham as part of its ‘Sparkling at Christmas’ campaign, which hopes to inspire people to come together and enjoy the city’s glittering festive offering.