Friends Reunited Dating Press Office

Start looking for a Christmas date on December 3rd - or miss the boat

Thanks to the ever increasing popularity of online dating, the deadline for finding a date in time for Christmas has been slashed from an average of six weeks to just three.

Two years ago, Friends Reunited Dating asked 10,000 successful members how long it took them to go from looking at potential profiles to officially having a partner - defined as going on at least three dates with the same person. Most people reported a total of 45 days however this year, an updated study of a further 10,000 successful daters confirmed that the figure has been reduced to just 21.

Anyone who doesn't have a date for Christmas needs to start looking by Monday 3rd December - or, as the statistics show, it will be too late.

The fastest time recorded by Friends Reunited from Ready to Steady was just 56 hours and the longest 725 days. Once registered, most people don't waste any time in checking out profiles of potential suitors. Then there is a period, usually lasting between one and two weeks, during which emails are sent back and forth between potential daters as they weigh up the possibility of mutual attraction before arranging to meet in person for the first time.

Gail McLaughlan, Head of Romance at Friends Reunited Dating, said: "Monday 3rd December is D-Day for singles who want serious mistletoe action from Christmas Eve through to New Year.

"Leave it later and, like last-minute Christmas shoppers, you could stumble on exactly what you want, but, more likely, you'll have to make do with whatever's left on the shelf."

"Christmas may be the worst time to be single - but it's also the best time to get a date as there are more single people looking for love now than at any other time of year.

"Use of our dating site increases by 25 per cent from the start of November until Christmas Eve."

After spending Christmas alone last year, 22 year old Rachel Quarterman from Solihull decided that 2007 would be different. Three weeks after joining Friends Reunited Dating, she met 26 year old Matt Morgan from Solihull and is looking forward to their first Christmas together. "From Matt first sending me an email wink to us going on three dates, I think it was about three weeks, but it was only two weeks after we met that we became 'official!'

Recently engaged Sue Brown and Chris Bovingdon, both 43 years old, from Harlow in Essex said: "We worked out that from the first wink to our third date was spot on three weeks. By then we knew we'd be together for good. Well at our age you have the wisdom to work it out I think. We are now looking forward to our wedding which is booked for a year to the day we met."

The magic 21-day rule also worked for 58 year old member Stephen Gledhill: "I recollect that my wife Anita and I went on our third date after three weeks as I had gone to my native Yorkshire with one of my sons for the Easter break. Otherwise, it would have been sooner - say two weeks. Our first date was only four days after the 'wink' email contact."

Gail's top 10 tips for securing that Christmas date

1. Make your dating profile unique to you and be specific. Get a friend to help - you'll create a better profile that way, and both probably laugh a lot in the process!
2. Think of words and phrases you would use to describe yourself as if you were chatting to friends in the pub. This will make you sound friendly and will seem less forced
3. Add a photo. A clear head and shoulders shot of you SMILING will do wonders for your profile! FACT - profiles with photos get viewed more often than those without.
4. When chatting online or via email, ask about specific things written in the other person's profile as a way to 'break the ice'.
5. Don't ask too many questions in one go or it'll seem like you're conducting an interview. Keep correspondence chatty and light.
6. Don't give out any personal details until you're completely comfortable - remember you can stay anonymous for as long as you want.
7. For that very important first date think of something different to do instead of just going to the pub or for a meal try salsa dancing, bowling, or a walk in the park.
8. Wear clothes you're comfortable in - don't overdress or your date won't be seeing the real you, plus you'll feel uncomfortable and awkward.
9. If the date's going well and you want to see the person again, gently suggest a second date towards the end of the first to avoid the 'I'll call you' situation.
10. Remember, above all, be yourself, relax and enjoy your date!

For more information contact Victoria Reed or Carolynne Bull-Edwards on: 01883 717468 or email press@friendsreunited.co.uk

Notes to Editors - About Friends Reunited Dating:

Friends Reunited Dating was launched in 2003 as a sister-site to the Internet phenomenon Friends Reunited. Since then is has grown to become the UK's third largest dating website. Members can search for potential dates according to appearance, age and location with the same high standards of confidentiality, security and reputation for reliability that members have come to know through Friends Reunited. It is free to register on the site, and full functionality comes at a fraction of the price of most other dating sites. It currently has over 821,000 dating members, aged 18 to 80. Around 1,000 new members join the service every day.