It's never a good time to get dumped or have to break up with your mate. But it's even worse when the end is near...and so is a holiday, like Valentine's Day, Christmas or even a birthday. So whether you're the dumper or the dumpee, here are a few ways to handle the split and move on so that you can enjoy the festivities. First, if you foresee needing to leave your lover, then take all the same precautions you would if breaking up with him or her at a regular time of year. Don't use the dreaded "let's just be friends" adage if you don't want to be, and particularly avoid the phrase if you don't want to buy your soon-to-be ex a gift. On that note, breaking up with someone simply to avoid giving a gift is just...lame. If you still care for the person, then don't break up over gift-giving alone! If money is an issue, then explain that to your sweetheart - there are plenty of ways to celebrate holidays inexpensively. And last, try to avoid breaking up on the actual holiday - nothing sucks more than remembering that birthday when your beloved dumped you, or that Christmas when you slept off an egg nog hangover under the tree after being dumped.

Have a heart and consider his or her feelings. If you're the one being dumped, then there are a few things to remember. First of all, you're not the only one. Some statistics show that the two weeks preceding Christmas are when the most breakups happen. So hit those holiday parties, even though you might not feel like it. At the very least, you might make a new friend. Indulge yourself in lots of family activities - your loved ones can be your shoulder to cry on. And continue participating in family traditions - they offer stability and fun when you need them most. Whether you have to kick your mate to the curb or you're the one left on the curb, handling a holiday breakup can be a lot less painful than you think.