To divorce, or not to divorce. During the holiday season, this is a question that some people in troubled marriages may be contemplating as the calendar creeps closer to Christmas. Indeed, many want to enjoy the holiday season, but when a person is suffering through the holidays with tremendous unhappiness in their hearts, who is to blame them for splitting up during what is supposed to be “most wonderful time of the year.”
If this description fits you, it is prudent to make such a decision with other people in mind, especially children. Traumatic events during the holiday season could have lasting effects on them. Who wants to create an indelible memory of parents breaking up just before (or right after) Christmas? It is these situations that may lead kids to hate the holidays when they get older.
However, there are certain situations where a divorce cannot be avoided during the holidays. This is especially true for those who began the process long before the season began. Nevertheless, if a divorce is imminent for you, consulting an experienced family law attorney is an important step in the process.
A lawyer can advise you on the moves that can help you protect custody interests, avoid property division disputes and otherwise prepare for awkward moments during the season when extended family members have to deal with a new reality in your life perhaps sooner than they expected.
In the meantime, the decision to divorce during the holidays should be made carefully and reverently. Ironically, much like the decision to get married.