*The holidays may be the most wonderful time of the year, but a toxic new dating trend is reinforcing how much of a mixed blessing it can be.
Media sources at Madame Noire reveal the trend, known as “sledging,” centers on folk who like to keep the person they’re dating in a dead-end relationship through the holiday season, only to dump them at the start of the New Year.
Citing the Daily Star, the site found the practice becoming increasingly common among Gen Z singles taking in the holidays.
Reasons for singles adopting a “sledger” mind state during the holiday season vary, with a recent study from the popular dating app Happn outlining reasons behind the trend.
Among those are sledgers seeking a mate to combat loneliness in a time when family and friends come together as well as the holidays being a convenient excuse to be with someone, even if the time put in doesn’t result in a long-term circumstance.
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Per Happn, which polled 600 daters aged 18 to 25, here’s a breakdown of some of the most common reasons why people become “sledgers”:
60% of people want someone to have sex with during the holiday season.
50% are looking for someone to cuddle with when the weather gets cold.
40% want to avoid feeling lonely during a time that’s often associated with togetherness.
30% use the relationship as a way to avoid answering awkward questions about being single from family and friends. And finally, 20% simply want a “plus one” to bring to Christmas and New Year’s parties.
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Taking other groups into account, the Happn study mentioned Zoomers—a generation known for their digital savviness—, with 15% of them confessing to stringing along seasonal partners regularly for selfish reasons.
With “holiday relationships,” the situation for many provides temporary sex and companionship as well as a shield against uncomfortable questions relatives ask during the holidays about their single status.
As if that wasn’t enough, Happn found that 75% of sledgers are already thinking ahead with ending the relationship in November, a calculated move meant to create the illusion of a stable relationship between post-Thanksgiving and pre-New Year’s.
Broken down further the study sheds light on the plotting, with 25% of sledgers already planning their exit from their relationship before the start of the holidays (think August)
All in the name of getting out of the awkwardness of being single at family gatherings.
Overall, according to the Happn study, it’s a matter of comfort and convenience being the priority for sledgers. In the end, they have no intention of committing long-term to someone who is used for temporary relief from loneliness, societal pressures, or holiday expectations.
As a result, pain and confusion await those in the crossfire of the sledger as they are often left heartbroken or caught off guard when the breakup inevitably occurs, the study stated.
For more on “sledging” and the results of the Happn study, click here.
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