Are YOU about to be dumped? Why 'Red Tuesday' is the busiest day of the year for break-ups

For those happily coupled up, today will be filled with excitement and anticipation ahead of Valentine's Day. Both partners will be busy buying gifts and trying to guess exactly how their other half will show them just how special they are. But while the flower shops, with their abundant bouquets and heart-shaped balloons, would like the world to believe that everything's rosy, the Tuesday before the official celebration of romance and love is in fact associated with its opposite: break-ups.

Branded 'Red Tuesday', this is the day that people are most likely to end their relationship. The poll, carried out by IllicitEncounters.com, found that 36 per cent have broken up with their partner in the week leading up to Valentine's Day and, of those, 66 per cent decided to call it quits on Red Tuesday. The reasons vary, but the most common one – cited by 31 per cent of participants – was wanting to avoid the pressure of the festivities' expectations.

Meanwhile, nearly a third (27 per cent) admitted they wanted to avoid the guilt of faking affection on the most romantic day of the year. Jessica Leoni, a sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com which conducted the poll, explained the trend: 'Red Tuesday break-ups happen because people don’t want to fake their feelings on Valentine’s Day. While the flower shops, with their abundant bouquets and heart-shaped balloons, would like the world to believe that everything's rosy, the Tuesday before the official celebration of romance and love is in fact associated with its opposite: break-ups (stock photo).

She added that some feel the pressure to commit to the full frills of the celebration, which they find to be overwhelming. Stock image used. 'Rather than go through the motions of romance, they’d prefer to be honest – even if it means heartbreak. IllicitEncounters.com, an extramarital dating, found that most (33 per cent) preferred to break up over the phone, while 29 per cent opted for a text message.

Surprisingly, only 26 per cent ended things face-to-face, and a small percentage turned to social media (7 per cent) or email (4 per cent) to cut ties. Only 1 per cent admitted to ghosting their partner entirely. Men were more likely to initiate the separation - accounting for 62 per cent of them - while women made up 38 per cent. When it came to age, Millennials (those aged 28-43) were more likely to take the plunge, followed by Gen Z (18-27), Gen X (44-59).

In last place was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Baby Boomers - who are between 60 to 78 years old. Source: IllicitEncounters.com. 'It’s also a time when people reflect on their relationship and decide if they truly see a future together.'. She added that some feel the pressure to commit to the full frills of the celebration, which they find to be overwhelming. '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,' the pro continued.

'Ultimately, Red Tuesday has become a day of reckoning for many couples, and it’s no surprise that we see a massive spike in break-ups right before Valentine's Day.'. February 14 has garnered a mixed reputation in recent years as a time of misery for singles and pressure and inflated prices for couples. With rising inflation and the cost-of-living squeeze, it seems fewer lovers can expect a romantic surprise.

The origins of the day lie in the legend of Saint Valentine, which itself is complicated by the fact that it’s made up of several differing accounts. The Roman Catholic Church recognises Saint Valentine as a real person who died in the third century in Rome. By this account, Valentine was a priest who was killed when he defied emperor Claudius II. Claudius decided that unattached men made for better soldiers than those with families and partners and thus forbade them to marry.

However, Valentine defied the emperor's diktat and secretly continued to marry young men and women. When Claudius found out, he imprisoned Valentine and ordered him to be put to death. Another account has it that Valentine refused to renounce his Christianity when ordered to do so by Claudius and was then imprisoned. While in prison, Valentine performed a miracle, healing the jailer’s blind daughter.

One variation of this legend says that Valentine fell in love with the woman and, before his death, he wrote her a letter that he signed with ‘Your Valentine’. Another theory is that in the fifth century, Pope Gelasius I wanted to undermine or pre-empt the pagan festival of fertility, Lupercalia, which was celebrated on February 15. So he proclaimed February 14 as ‘Saint Valentine’s Day, saying the martyr and his deeds were things 'known only to God'.