Ringing in the New Year: 1 in 10 Engagements are in December
The magic of Christmas isn’t just in the twinkling lights and cosy gatherings; it’s in the beautiful moments we create together. And love is all around us during the festive season, with over 1 in 10 engagements occurring during the twelfth month.
The How the Nation Pops the Question: 2024 Marriage Proposal Report, from the engagement and wedding ring experts at Queensmith, has unveiled that over 11% of UK proposals happen in December. And what better time to celebrate love than during this season of joy?
Perhaps surprisingly, the study also found that engagements on Christmas day itself were firmly on the table, with 60% of Brits stating that there were no dates they would avoid, including Xmas, birthdays and Valentine’s Day.
The uplift in engagements identified in Queensmith’s report is mirrored in online searches. Google searches for engagement rings across the UK are already on the incline as we reach the end of the year, with a 6% increase this month. Over the past 12 months, Google searches peaked during December 2023 when Brits made an astonishing 214,000 searches for engagement rings. The same uplift can be seen on TikTok, where searches were also highest in December, with over 723,000 sparkling searches made for engagement rings.
Looking for a ring is one thing, but unlike the last-minute socks and bath sets you may purchase for friends and family, if you want your partner to actually unwrap a diamond ring on Christmas you have to be aware of some key dates.
Joanna Wyganowska, Ring Expert and Gemmologist at Queensmith, shares: “The festivities of Christmas are filled with joy and happy memories, so naturally, it makes sense that couples would like to celebrate their engagement during this time.
“When it comes to selecting the right ring, our study found that 79% of engagements took over two months to plan, with almost a quarter buying the ring two months in advance.
“Taking that into account, many planning to propose during Christmas would have bought their ring before Halloween.
“But, for the 15% who took a month or less to prep popping the question, the dates they will want to order with Queensmith by are midnight on the 16th of November for our Core Collection Engagement Rings and midnight on the 14th of December for Quickship and Ready to Wear Engagement Rings.”