(January 1, 2012) Online dating is in the midst of its peak season, which generally occurs from the day after Christmas to the day after Valentine’s Day. During that time period, online dating sites can see increases in traffic and usage of up to 20%.

Online Dating Magazine says the following factors contribute to the online dating surge:

– Early/Mid December is the peak season for breakups. Thus in late December and early January, more people are looking for new relationships.

– People like to have a date for New Years.

– People don’t like to be “single” on Valentine’s Day.

When brought together, the result is a surge of people looking online to find someone to date or someone to be a date. Sites like Match.com, Plenty of Fish, and eHarmony reap the benefits of that search.