Red Tuesday: Why today is the most popular day for breakups just before Valentine's

Valentine's Day is just three days away, but before you finalise those plans, you might want to know that today is actually the most popular day of the year for breakups.

Dubbed 'Red Tuesday,' a study of 1,200 people found that 36 per cent of people ended a relationship in the week running up to Valentine's Day. A staggering 66 per cent of those opted to part ways on the Tuesday before.

Why is that, you might ask?

Well, according to the study by Illicit Encounters, over a quarter of participants admitted to wanting to avoid Valentine's Day pressures.

A further 27 per cent admitted they simply couldn't bear the guilt of pretending to feel affection on the most romantic day of the year.

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If you thought they'd at least have the decency to have an in-person conversation about their decision, you thought wrong, with the majority ending things over the phone (33 per cent) or via text message (29 per cent).

Millennial men led the Red Tuesday breakups, while Boomers held steady, accounting for just 8 per cent of those calling it quits on the day.

"Red Tuesday breakups happen because people don’t want to fake their feelings on Valentine’s Day. Rather than go through the motions of romance, they’d prefer to be honest – even if it means heartbreak," Jessica Leoni, a sex and relationships expert explained.

"It’s also a time when people reflect on their relationship and decide if they truly see a future together. Some feel trapped by Valentine’s Day and the expectations that come with it, and rather than putting in effort for a relationship they don’t see lasting, they cut ties instead."

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