The Season to Be Jolly Is Not Always Jolly

The holidays are the time of year that all of us dream of being the happiest time of year--safely nestled in our homes surrounded by loved ones enjoying our favorite family traditions.

Unfortunately, the dream of a happy Christmas is oftentimes not the reality.   Holiday stresses are likely to expose financial pressures, debilitating family dynamics and relationship failures.  For divorce lawyers, it is always our busiest time of year.  While there are really no "down times" when divorces take a holiday, the number of clients wanting to get a divorce seem to multiply exponentially during the holidays.    

Tired of disappointment and fighting, many are ready to call it quits over the holidays rather than envision yet another year of unhappy coexistence.  The thought of another year in a truly miserable marriage is far worse than the fear of going through a divorce. 

For most, the fear of divorce is magnified far more than it should be. The reality is that divorce is not as bad as most imagine and life after divorce offers the chance for peace, solitude and even a future happy Christmas.  If nothing else, you will eliminate one source of constant stress in your life. 

Divorce can be emotionally and financially painful but the pain is durable and usually far worse than imagined. If you and your spouse are enlightened and level headed, you may be able to proceed with an uncontested divorce, which is not only a fraction of the cost of a contested divorce but can also be done in record time. 

If you can't agree on everything in advance, you may at least be able to agree that you will try to keep your divorce as amicable as possible to avoid running up exorbitant attorney's fees.  Even when you start out disagreeing on everything, you may be able to resolve most, if not all issues, at mediation with the help of your lawyer and a neutral mediator.

Divorce is not easy but it can be very cathartic and is survivable.  And once you are divorced, it can help you get to a future when the holiday season truly is the happiest time of the year.