The five signs you're heading for a breakup this Christmas.

There are two times of the year that break ups are most likely to happen according to very smart, logical people who aren’t ruled by their emotions.

Data journalists David McCandless and Lee Byron crunched the numbers and found you’re most likely to call it quits Valentine’s Day and the two weeks before Christmas.

It’s not difficult to see why.

In the lead up to Christmas we face the prospect of introducing our partner to our family. Are they someone we’d actually want our grandmother to meet? Are they someone who adds value to our lives? Can we see a future with them?

I invited a boyfriend to my family Christmas a few years ago without giving it much thought.

He got…absurdly drunk.

I spent the entire day in a perpetual state of cringe, so much so that I think I legitimately may have pulled muscles in my neck/back. I couldn't relax. I couldn't properly catch up with anyone. And I couldn't stop thinking what a poor reflection this human was on me.

Up until the point of Christmas, it's possible many of us haven't thought past the short term.

Of course, we are also edging towards the end of the year. Most of us see the new year as a fresh start. We consider our goals and reflect on the year that's passed.

Dating apps are said to have at least a 300 per cent increase in sign ups during December. People who might not feel content are looking for change.

Have dating apps changed the dating scene? Post continues below. 

Whether you're the dumped or the dumpee, there are almost always signs that you're heading for a breakup. Here's what to look out for this Christmas.

1. Your partner is adding to the already heightened stress of Christmas

Christmas is incredibly stressful, with present buying, a bunch of social commitments, and work wrapping up for the year.

Ideally, your partner should be an escape from stress - not the cause of it.

Relationship coach Chris Armstrong told Bustle, "When Fred and Marie were doing great, a stressful situation or a minor annoyance would lead to them finding their patient side and saying and doing things that kept the relationship moving in a positive direction."

He warned that it is when a partner is "short, indifferent to resolution, and argumentative", it's a sign they have no real interest in sustaining the relationship.

2. You haven't made any plans for the new year

Danielle and Josh had been seeing each other for about six months.

When Josh brought up New Years Eve, Danielle went quiet. He had imagined that they would spend it together, but Danielle understood their relationship to be more of a fling, and didn't think that they were ever 'exclusive'.

Josh told Mamamia he knew the relationship was over when Danielle "continued to dodge the subject of New Years Eve".

Counselor and psychologist Nikki Martinez says that often people employ a pattern of behaviour which she terms 'successive approximations".

"The person answers calls and texts less frequently," Martinez says. They become less and less available until things "just naturally drizzle out'.

She advises that if you are on the receiving end of this behaviour, then you must be honest with yourself and take control.

Not having any future plans is an enormous red flag.

3. There is resentment or conflict around present buying

Present buying isn't fun for everyone, nor does it need to be.

If you've been in a relationship for years and years, presents are hardly a priority. You might decide to forgo them. Or buy something together.

The issue, however, is when the decision isn't mutual. If one partner is excited about buying a gift, and it's something they look forward to, then it can be a source of conflict if that isn't reciprocated.

I remember dating a guy, and when Christmas came around I resented the fact I "had" to buy him a gift. Needless to say, it turned out I just didn't like him all that much.

The worst Christmas present we've ever received. Post continues below...

4. They don't want to attend your family Christmas. Or they haven't invited you to theirs

Family Christmas' are awkward AF.

Since my traumatic experience with the drunk boyfriend, I don't think I'll be inviting anyone until we've been married for 10 years. And even then I'll be hiding the beers.

BUT, if you've been dating for some time and the subject of spending Christmas with each others' family doesn't even come up, it could be a bad sign.

The same goes for all social events during the festive season. If you find that your partner is showing no interest in doing things together, then it's possible they are laying the groundwork for a breakup.

5. There's a gut feeling

Trust your gut.

If things aren't feeling right, if you have the sense that things have changed or if there's more conflict than usual, it's important to raise your anxieties with your partner.

Dating expert Noah Van Hochman says, "The most telling clue that the person you're with is on the verge of ending your relationship is distance."

"Not proximity distance, but the emotional kind... phone calls get less frequent and shorter. The types of conversations you engage in are less meaningful and have the feel of an obligation to talk more than an authentic desire. Plans to do things together become more like ‘maybes’ than those things you used to get excited about," Van Hochman told Bustle.

For some of us, December might be a rough month.

But with a new year just around the corner, it's the perfect time for a fresh start.