Should You Break Up With Your Boyfriend Before Or After The Holidays? Here Are The Pros And Cons Of Doing Both

How do you know if you should end your relationship before or after Christmas or New Year's Eve? It’s a tough question to answer, and it all depends on your situation. On the one hand, you don’t want to ruin your soon-to-be ex's holiday season. On the other hand, you don’t want to get his hopes up only to obliterate them later on. If you’ve been wracking your brain over what you should do, here are the pros and cons of dumping your boyfriend before (and after) the holidays. 

The Pros of Dumping before the Holidays

He Has the Support of His Friends and Family 

It’s much easier to heal a wounded heart with the support of friends and family. Dumping your boyfriend before Christmas gives him time to open up to his closest family members, who will be able to help alleviate his pain while they celebrate Christmas together. He gets the benefit of venting and releasing his emotions in a healthy way, and has the option to party away the hurt with his friends on New Year’s Eve.

You Don’t Have To Worry About Him While You’re Celebrating 

You probably don’t want to waste your end-of-season celebrations on thinking about how or when you’ll dump your man. The sooner you get it over with, the better, since both of you will get to spend time with your families as you heal. 

He Has Time To Focus on His New Year’s Resolutions

If you break up with him before New Year’s Eve, it gives him more time to see the new year as a new beginning. Maybe he'll pick up a new workout regimen or hobby – whatever it might be, it's almost guaranteed to help him take his mind off you.

It’s Fairer 

Tell him everything and how you feel. It’s unfair to string someone along and pretend that everything is okay when it’s not. You don’t want to exchange “I love you's” and act like you’re happy when you’re not – you’ll only be wasting each other's time this way. 

It’s much easier to heal a wounded heart with the support of your friends and family.

The Cons of Dumping before the Holidays 

There’s a Chance He Will Be Miserable during the Holidays 

Unfortunately, there’s a good chance that you and your ex may spend Christmas sulking and feeling miserable. But think of it this way – he's going to be heartbroken no matter what. While it’s true that most people are almost always expected to be happy on Christmas, it’s likely that his family will understand what he's going through. 

The Pros of Dumping after the Holidays 

His Christmas Celebration Won’t Be Ruined 

If you decide to wait until after the New Year, your boyfriend will get to spend time with his family this holiday season without having to make anyone feel like they have to console him. He also doesn't have to worry about masking his heartache. However, his parents or siblings comforting him shouldn't be seen as negative at all – it’s actually a good thing, since it will bring them closer together. But, if your boyfriend tends to have bad anger problems or doesn't handle his emotions too well, you might want to consider waiting until after the holidays so he doesn’t ruin a gathering or a party. (Then again, that's not really your problem.)

You Get To Spend the Holidays with Him One Last Time

If you want to spend time with your boyfriend one last time during Christmas or on New Year’s Eve, that’s understandable. It makes sense why you would want to spend your last moments with your boyfriend in high spirits. However, it’s very important that you discuss your true feelings and your intentions first if you decide to do this. If you don’t, they will feel blindsided once you call it quits.

The Cons of Dumping after the Holidays 

He Could Feel More Heartbroken 

Breaking up with your boyfriend after the holidays could actually leave him feeling more heartbroken. If he had a wonderful time with you, his friends, and family on Christmas or New Year’s, he'll go from feeling extreme highs to incredible lows. As I’ve mentioned previously, getting your boyfriend’s hopes up would be unfair to him.

Closing Thoughts 

The best way to decide whether or not you should dump your boyfriend before or after the holidays depends on your situation, and possibly on how well he handles his emotions. After weighing all of your options and reviewing the pros and cons, you can make a more informed decision on how to navigate this difficult period.

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