We were all dumped at Christmas – how we got through holiday heartbreak, from drinking gin to sobbing on the sofa
CHRISTMAS day can be a joyous time, but if cracks begin to appear in your relationship it can ultimately become a pressure cooker environment.
At best, this means petty family squabbles over who prepares the brussel sprouts or tidies up the discarded wrapping paper - and at worst it can spell disaster for rocky romances.
Here, three women exclusively share with Fabulous their holiday heartbreak stories - and how being dumped at Christmas actually turned out to be the best gift in the long-run...
'He spent Christmas with another woman'
Before marrying her husband, children's nursery owner Sharon Birch, 56, was unceremoniously dumped on Christmas day.
She says: "I was introduced to Chris* by my friend’s sister.
"She worked with him... He was recently divorced and I was single, and we were together about eight months.
"He was due to come to my house for Christmas - I’d decorated my house so much more than I usually did and bought lovely tasty goodies.
She says: "I was with my ex Samuel* for just under three years, after we met down the local pub - he was also the first proper boyfriend I had ever had.
"After about a year he started to let me down at last minute when we had plans, and he started staying at work late.
"Christmas day was okay, it was just us two all day and we had dinner and opened our presents.
"There was tension between us though and we were both pretty quiet.
"On Boxing Day there was still tension, and he wasn't really speaking to me.
"We went round to my parents house with all of my family and he wasn't speaking to anyone and it was obvious he didn't want to be there.
"He ended up leaving, and after that he just kept ignoring my calls until I demanded an answer - and that was when he said he didn't want to be with me anymore.
"At first I actually was dreading New Year because I was so down. However I found a hobby of jewellery making to distract myself.
"I started making jewellery in the January, straight after Christmas and eventually it led to me starting my business.
"Going through that experience has enabled me to grow into a stronger, better person.
"I'm in an amazing relationship now with the most wonderful man and I have been for many years.
"I believe everything happens for a reason and that we should see the positives where we can."
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*Names are fake.