D-Day: Breakups Spike After Valentine's Day

It is supposed to be a day of love and romance, but for some Valentine's Day fails to live up to expectations. For that reason, Feb. 15 has become known as D-Day -- a day in which divorces and breakups spike.

According to the New York Daily News, divorce attorneys see a spike in traffic in mid-February. While some people simply wait until after the holiday passes to call it quits, for others the day itself can be a trigger.

“It can be a letdown,” divorce attorney Michelle Smith explained.

The Daily News article cites a study by dating website AnastasiaDate, which indicates the number of people mulling a breakup increases in the days leading up to Valentine's Day.

“It’s been in their head for a while, and something snaps on Valentine’s Day,” AnastasiaDate chief communications officer Lawrence Cervantes told the Daily News.

Of course, it is also possible that D-Day could be tied to what happens on Feb. 13. Dubbed "Mistress Day," the day before Valentine's Day is when 71.2 percent of unfaithful men say they will see their mistress, the Daily Mail reports. 

The survey, commissioned by dating site Ashleymadison.com, asked over 3,200 men about the plans for Valentine's Day. Half of the men planning to see their mistress said they would tell their wives they were working late on the 13th.

"The research also laid bare the most popular gift items for wives and mistresses, with 25 per cent of men buying diamonds for their mistress (compared with 10 percent for their wife) and 20 percent splashing out on lingerie for an affair (compared to 8 percent for their wife)," the article stated.

Have you ever broken up with someone on Valentine's Day or had someone break up with you? Do you think expectations for Valentine's Day tend to be unreasonable? Let us know in the comments.

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