RUGBY Offices

Private Client Department, Address: 16 Church Street, RUGBY, CV21 3PW, Telephone: + 44 (0) 1788 579 579, Fax: +44 (0) 1788 570 949

Conveyancing Department, Address: 26 Regent Street, RUGBY, CV21 2PS, Telephone: + 44 (0) 1788 551 611, Fax: + 44 (0) 1788 551 597

Commercial/ Wills, Trusts & Probate Departments, Address: The Robbins Building, 25 Albert Street, RUGBY, CV21 2SD, Telephone: + 44 (0) 1788 579 579, Fax: + 44 (0) 1788 552 888

LONDON Offices

2nd Floor Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6BD, Telephone enquiries: +44 (0) 2078876590, Fax number: +44 (0) 207 8876001

BANBURY Offices

Strathmore House, Waterperry Court, Middleton Road, BANBURY, OX16 4QD, General Telephone enquires: + 44 (0) 1295 270999

All I want for Christmas…is the Children

Have you ever considered why it is that the UK divorce rate soars during the months immediately after Christmas?  It is a true fact that solicitor divorce lawyers have their busiest time in the months from January to April, the months immediately after the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Sadly, what starts off as a happy annual festive time often ends up as an event that can ignite deep-felt resentment and highlight unfulfilled emotions.

So, why is it that the Christmas holiday period can result in such finality for people’s relationships? The reasons are more varied than you’d think:

• For some, the meeting of family and putting a ‘brave face’ on what is already a patchy relationship can mean long-festering issues are eclipsed, becoming huge concerns at a time when couples are off work and out of their normal routines, allowing them more time to reflect and see their relationships as they really are.

• For others, the Christmas period embodies the responsibility of being nice to family or step-families, that in other circumstances you would avoid. This creation of false emotions can put additional pressure on individuals to behave in specific ways that are outside of their true comfort zone. This additional pressure can result in breaking-point within some partnerships.

• For others, Christmas holidays mark the end of a year and having to face a whole new year with the same person, sometimes with unresolved resentment having been left over from the previous 12 months.  You just can’t face being in that relationship any longer due to an insurmountable difference, desertion, domestic violence, unreasonable behaviour or an adulterous betrayal.

• Christmas time can also eclipse the emotions that you have for others and make you realise that you should be with someone else as your life-long partner. You have significant doubts that your existing partner is right for you and you might have found Miss or Mr Right elsewhere.

Divorce is about being true to yourself and your feelings and if you simply can’t ‘love the one you’re with’, then a separation agreement can be seen as an escape route, and divorce proceedings, a permanent solution.

Divorce is often a difficult and emotional experience, which is why you want the process to be handled quickly and efficiently, and you need to know what the different options are that are available to you, and the impact on your children/step children, so that you don’t rush into divorce as the only option and that you have considered Collaborative Law solutions as well as other avenues.

Brethertons LLP is staying open between Christmas and New Year in 2010, and we are here to offer detailed family legal advice and support should you need it.  Our offices reopen on the 30th December 2010, please do contact us (confidentially) on (01295) 270999 (Banbury) or (01788) 579579 (Rugby) if your relationship is at breaking-point.  Alternatively, please arrange an initial consultation online at www.brethertons.co.uk.