A recent survey of 10,000 people shows that 31 per cent of people think that Christmas Eve is the most romantic day of the year to propose, followed by New Year’s Eve, that is  preferred by 19 per cent.

These figures chime with  the surge in matchmaking  businesses experienced in the months leading up to the  holiday season. Psychologist and global director of elite  matchmaking agency Berkeley  International Mairead Molloy explains why Christmas is an important time in the  dating calendar.

She says: “There is no escaping the fact that Christmas is one of the most romantic times of the year. When the temperature begins to drop there is nothing better than spending a night in the company of someone you love. You can’t ignore that the festive season  is special.

“As well as more people becoming engaged, a Facebook study revealed more  new relationships appear between November and March. December 24 sees 28 per cent more new relationships than break-ups whereas December 25 sees an increase to 34 per cent.”

You can’t ignore that the festive season is special

She continues: “What’s  fascinating is that all these figures chime with our matchmaking enquiries pre- and post- Christmas. We see member applications rise by 55 per cent in December compared to a typical month. We then see a further rise of 65 per cent in January, which is our busiest time of the year.

“A relationship should be a carefully thought out decision. If you are looking for something long-term, then step away from the dating apps and don’t rush. You should take time to get to know someone. You won’t be able to know someone’s true personality with a seasonal fling. If Christmas is traditional, then why not dating?”

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.