Love and lies at Christmas dinner: How many people fake affection just to survive the holiday season

For a season that’s supposed to be about love, warmth, and togetherness, Christmas puts an incredible amount of pressure on your relationship status. Families ask when you’re “finally settling down,” social media is full of matching pyjamas, and suddenly every advert assumes you’re part of a glowing, heteronormative couple who never argue about in-laws or money.

Our latest Flirtini survey shows just how far people are willing to go to avoid awkward questions at the dinner table — from staying in dead relationships to inventing partners out of thin air.

Staying in a “dead” relationship just to get through Christmas

More than a third of people (36%) admit they’ve stayed in a relationship that was already emotionally over, just to get through the holidays.

On paper, it makes sense: breaking up right before Christmas feels harsh. There are travel plans, gifts already bought, and family members who’ve been told you’re “doing great.” Ending things now can feel like detonating a seasonal bomb.

But emotionally, it means weeks of:

• pretending everything is fine in front of parents and siblings
• forcing affection that doesn’t feel real anymore
• delaying the grief that will inevitably follow

You’re not just trying to get through Christmas — you’re playing the role of “happy partner” in a relationship your heart quietly left months ago.

Getting back with an ex… for Christmas

Sixteen percent of people say they’re considering getting back with an ex just so they don’t have to spend Christmas alone.

This isn’t the grand, romantic reunion movies sell us. It’s more like:

“I know this wasn’t working, but at least with them I won’t have to explain to my aunt why I’m ‘still single’.”

The risk? You’re not just revisiting an old situationship — you’re also reopening old wounds at a time when you’re stressed, emotional, and more vulnerable than usual. When the decorations come down, you may find yourself dealing with two hangovers: one from wine, one from a decision you made because you were scared of being alone.

The imaginary partner: “Yes, grandma, he exists… kind of”

Almost a third (29%) admit they’ve invented a partner just to avoid family questions.

On one level, it’s darkly funny: a made-up person who has a great job, loves you deeply, and tragically “couldn’t make it this year.” On another level, it shows how intense the pressure is to show up as part of a couple, especially for women:

You’re told “don’t rush into anything,” but also constantly asked, “So, anyone special yet?”

Sometimes it feels easier to lie than to admit you’re dating, exploring, or simply not interested in forcing something that doesn’t feel right.

Rehearsing being “in love” before you see your family

Thirty-eight percent of people say they’ve rehearsed acting “in love” with their partner before seeing family.

That might mean:

• agreeing on how affectionate to look in front of parents
• practicing answers to “How are things between you two?”
• or literally hyping each other up in the car park so you don’t snap at one another at the table

When you have to rehearse love, it doesn’t automatically mean the relationship is doomed — but it does suggest that the performance has become more important than the connection. You’re not just managing your relationship; you’re managing the audience.

When family pressure keeps a dying relationship alive

For 24% of people, family pressure has delayed a breakup they already wanted.

If your parents adore your partner, if your relatives already think of you as a unit, or if everyone has mentally planned your wedding, calling it quits can feel like disappointing an entire tribe. So you wait:

• “I’ll do it after Christmas.”
• “I’ll do it after the New Year.”
• “I’ll do it after their birthday.”

Meanwhile, you’re the one stuck in limbo, sleeping next to someone you no longer see in your future because you’re afraid of the emotional fallout in the group chat.

Swiping for a fake holiday partner

And then there’s the fully strategic route: 16% have used dating apps to find a fake holiday partner.

Not necessarily a long-term relationship. Sometimes it’s:
a plus-one who can “play along”
someone to share a few cosy photos with
or simply a body next to you at events, so you don’t have to stand alone while everyone else couples up

It’s dating as damage control — less about connection, more about optics and avoidance. You’re not just asking, “Do I like this person?” You’re asking, “Will my family like this person enough to get off my back?”

What this all says about holiday love

Taken together, the data paints a clear picture: the holidays don’t just bring people together—they push many of us to perform a version of love that looks good from the outside, even when it doesn’t feel right on the inside.

We stay in relationships that are already over.

We flirt with the idea of recycling old flames.

We invent partners or polish up the ones we have for public viewing.

Underneath all that is a simple truth: a lot of people would rather fake stability than admit they’re still figuring it out.

If you recognise yourself in any of these stats, it doesn’t mean you’re broken — it means you’re human, and you’re responding to a lot of unspoken rules about what your life “should” look like by Christmas.

And maybe the real holiday reset isn’t about starting a new diet or promising to “be better next year,” but about asking a quieter, more honest question:

“If no one else’s opinion mattered, would I still choose this relationship — or this performance?”