The holiday period is typically linked with celebrations, family reunions, and romantic moments. However, according to relationships specialists, the holiday season can make couples overlook the problems that have been silently accumulating during the course of a year. Such actions are called tinselling.
Tinselling is a way to concentrate on festivities and put the problems in the relationships to one side, making everything look perfect until the celebration period ends.
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What is tinselling?
The phenomenon of tinselling was coined by Tina Wilson, relationship specialist and the founder and CEO of the dating app Wingman. The concept is inspired by festive tinsel which is used to decorate holiday decorations.
According to Wilson, many partners become so caught up in gift shopping, celebrations and family commitments that they postpone difficult conversations, hoping the festive spirit will naturally improve the relationship. While this may create temporary harmony, the underlying issues often remain unresolved.
Why do experts warn against tinselling?
Relationship experts believe avoiding problems rarely makes them disappear. Instead, emotional distance can continue to grow beneath the surface while couples maintain a picture-perfect holiday image.
Family law expert and author Nicole Sodoma notes that many couples delay confronting relationship difficulties simply to avoid disrupting the festive season. Once the holidays end and daily routines return, those unresolved issues often resurface, sometimes leading to breakups or separations. This pattern is one reason January is frequently associated with a rise in relationship endings.
Experts recommend that open communication is a better option than tinselling. Addressing any issues right away, instead of waiting for a “better time,” might help couples start the year ahead with clearer minds.
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Although the festive season can create bonds among partners because of the experience gained together, it should not be used as an excuse to ignore the problems present.
FAQs
Q1. What is tinselling in a relationship?
Tinselling means when the couple avoids discussions of the problems in their relationship to keep the festive mood.
Q2. Why is tinselling in a relationship considered dangerous by relationship experts?
Avoiding any relationship problems during the holidays will make these problems even bigger, causing conflicts in the future or even ending the relationship.
