April Masini, a relationship and etiquette expert, shared insights with Bustle on the emotional warning signs that signal a couple may be headed for a holiday breakup. April Masini explains that the pressure of the holiday season magnifies existing relationship cracks, exposing deeper issues through behaviors such as emotional withdrawal, family exclusion, rising conflict, and avoidance of shared future plans. Masini emphasizes that small but telling moments—like lack of affection, tense traditions, and silence around joy—often reflect deeper emotional disconnection. Her advice frames the holidays as an emotional stress test for relationships, where unresolved problems surface and the true health of a partnership becomes impossible to ignore.
