4 Stupid Reasons More Than One-Third Of All Engagements Happen During The Holidays

If you've clicked through Facebook lately, you've probably noticed a big bump in engaged couples, happily sharing photos of their big moment against snowy landscapes, Christmas trees, and picturesque ice skating rinks. And it's not just this year — every year, once the holidays hit, it seems like everyone you know is getting engaged.

It's not just in your head. According to the AP, about 40 percent of engagements occur during the stretch between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. So, in a small three-month stretch, over one-third of people who want to get married make the decision to go for it.                                                                                                                          

The reasons for this are varied, but if you think about it, getting engaged around the holidays makes sense. Not only can you easily show off your ring and celebrate with family and friends at holiday gatherings and parties, but there are a few other factors that come into play. Check them out below:

Easy Gift-Giving

It seems a little lazy, but if you're thinking about tying the knot and don't know what to get your girlfriend for Christmas, you know what makes for a really nice present? An engagement ring. Call it killing two birds with one stone (because it is), but it is hard to say no to a small square box placed under a Christmas tree.

Holidays Are a Time to Reflect on Relationships

Annual traditions, time spent with family, and the thought of having to spend money on gifts makes people evaluate their relationships. If the idea of growing a family and spending holiday after holiday with your significant other fills your heart with unadulterated joy, it may be time to get on one knee. Conversely, if you don't want to spring for an $80 bottle of perfume for your girlfriend for Christmas, you probably don't want to marry her, so you break up. (The few weeks before Thanksgiving is the most popular time for break ups.)

Jewelry Sales

All you have to do is turn on the TV, click through a few websites, or open up a magazine to witness the onslaught of engagement ring ads. Like other retailers, jewelry stores rely upon the holiday season to take them from the red to the black, so diamonds and gold (the crucial elements for a traditional engagement ring) go on major sale during this time of year. So, if you're thinking about buying a big sparkly ring, there's really no better time than December.

Wedding Planning Timeline

Most weddings take place between May and October, so a winter engagement gives you time to plan an idyllic warm-weather wedding. Saying "yes" in the winter gives you at least five months and perhaps as long as a year and a half before you finally say "I do." Having a longer engagement allows the newly engaged to book their venue, photographers, and caterers well in advance, increasing the odds that their big day will be exactly what they envisioned.