Have you been 'Marleyed'? Not sure? Well, see if this sounds familiar...
You've broken up with your ex from your home town for AGES at this stage, and it's been great. They haven't tried to contact you all year and you're pretty pleased at how well you've both moved on. How adult the whole thing is...
Research by dating site eHarmony has found that 11% of people have been contacted by an ex around Christmas in this trend that has been termed "Marleying".
The move is cleverly called ‘Marleying’ after the character Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol, who suddenly appears on Christmas Eve after years of being dead.
“Just because you are at home visiting your old haunts, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should feel compelled to haunt a former partner," Rachael Lloyd from eHarmony told The Independent.
“Though some people are happy to reconnect with an ex over Christmas, it’s important to ensure you are both on the same page to avoid confusion or hurt.
“Often relationships end for valid reasons such as a lack of compatibility. If this sounds familiar, rather than revisiting a relationship where the same issues could arise all over again, we would suggest spending time with family and friends and enjoying a well-earned break. Going backwards only decreases the odds of finding a new, long-lasting relationship."
Hands to yourselves at midnight mass people...
READ NEXT: One Of The Most Romantic Christmas Movies Is On RTE One Tonight
