As the Thanksgiving season passes yet again, students in committed relationships are distraught about their first Thanksgiving with their partners. Observing this common stress, psychology professor Dr. Ophelia Patel saw an opportunity to team up with sociology professor Dr. Halle O’Weiner to observe the effect this great American tradition has on young love, publishing their studies this Sunday. Over the past five years (2017-2022), an estimated 16.9% (approx. 1 out of 6) of the 528 couples observed broke up as a result of the stress of their families. A few of these surveyed students have agreed to tell their stories on record (names changed, ages at the time of dumping). 

Jeremy/20/Dumped – “Before we were together, she had met my parents when they came to town for my birthday, no problem, she and my dad both liked football. Thanksgiving was different. All was good until Thursday, when I introduced her to my grandpa. Sure, he’s a bit off-color but he’s a war vet! As soon as he made a little jab about race, she starts bawling, screaming, ordering me to defend her. I told her to learn to lighten up, which she took as racist, I guess, and told me we were over. I can’t believe she embarrassed me like that, I was even going to let her buy an appetizer with the $100 TGI Friday’s gift card my aunt gave me.”

Beverly/19/Dumper – “I mean, breaking up was not really all that difficult. We were dating for a few months when I asked to come to his family’s Thanksgiving because my mom had disowned me for scamming a few thousand bucks off of my late grandma. He warned me to not mention my medical condition to them. It’s a bit of a bummer so I didn’t. Because of my condition, his parents didn’t know that I couldn’t eat anything they had made, so naturally I was way hungry by dessert time. Suddenly, his sister brings in her newborn kid, and I just lost it. I drained that babe dry. They called the cops on me, and when I tried to explain my condition, they wouldn’t listen. I knew anti-vaxxers existed, but I didn’t realize people still deny the existence of vampires. Thankfully my dad invented the 2008 Financial Crisis, so I got off scot free.”

Emma/21/Dumped – “We’d only been dating for two months, but he had nowhere to go, because of a snowstorm shutting down all the flights to his home state of California. He seemed to want to come with me, so I asked if he wanted to join my family for the break. As soon as we got to my childhood house, an average sized house that is well-kempt, my mom came running out the front door in her sweats with a pair of Uggs to stay toasty in the snow. When she went to shake his hand, he recoiled. The entire weekend he did nothing but complain, and brag about how awesome his parents’ house is. After I dropped him off, I got a text that he wanted to “network elsewhere” since he was a “high-level male.” That’s what I get for dating a business major I suppose. Worst part? He stole my little brother’s PS4 remote.”

Tristian/22/Dumper – “On paper, and in practice, he was my dream guy. We had been dating since freshman year when I was trying out Grindr, hoping to have a hoe phase, but we were immediately smitten. Thanksgiving was great! My parents loved him, and he and my grandma both loved Hallmark Christmas movies. Everything was perfect, until the football game. We were on the same team, beating my dad’s side of the family 21-0, my cousin poured gatorade on him, a yearly tradition, and all hell broke loose. Makeup no longer hiding his face, prosthetic nose falling off, wig slipping, revealing a salt and pepper close-cut, with slight wrinkles adorning his face, his signature smirk revealed itself. My beloved boyfriend Wally-Jay YoungAdult, was actually the 2012 Republican candidate for president Mitt Romney. The trust was too broken to be repaired, yet I miss him every night.

Patel and O’Weiner’s next study is on the phenomena of high school couples that break up over Thanksgiving break freshman year of college.