Sunday Is Peak Day for Couples to Break Up: Facebook Analysis

Beware, lovers. You might get dumped on Sunday. It could happen a day or two earlier or later, but two weeks before Christmas is prime-breakup season, according to a London-based data journalist who distilled the data from Facebook status updates for a site called Information is Beautiful.

The study doesn’t speculate why lovers part ways just before Christmas, but it’s probably a safe bet that the people doing the dumping either don’t want to buy gifts for or take their significant others home to meet the family.

If you’re still happy in love with your significant other on Christmas Day, there’s only a slim chance you’ll get the heave-ho.

“Too cruel?” David McCandless said of his analysis of Facebook posts.

• Tell Us: Break-ups can be nasty. What’s the most callous (or kind) way anyone ever told you to buzz off?

But there are some other dates to beware, notably around Valentine’s Day (forgot to go shopping, didn’t you?) and spring break. That one, we’ll just leave right here without comment.

Photo by Jessy Rone via Flickr Commons