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A new year is supposed to feel like a fresh start. However, it can quietly turn into disagreements and tension for many couples. 

While these issues are often manageable throughout the year, they tend to feel heavier and harder to resolve right after the holidays. Familiar arguments are fueled further by stress and the pressure to “do better” together.

Courtneyrose Chung, relationship counselor and Clinical Director at My Denver Therapy, explains, “Extended time together during the holidays frequently reveals issues that were easier to ignore when couples kept to their regular routines. What looks like sudden conflict is usually the surfacing of problems that have been building for months.”

Here are 3 arguments that get worse for couples at the beginning of the year:

1. Finances

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Financial disagreements are one of the more common problems that couples face on a daily basis. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, 31% of adults in relationships say that money is a major source of conflict. It’s no surprise that these money disagreements are heightened thanks to the holidays. Gift purchases, travel expenses, and the costs of hosting family and friends can rack up on a credit card bill well into the new year.

According to Chung, “Money arguments after the holidays aren’t really about the spending itself. They’re about differing values, communication breakdowns, and sometimes resentment that one partner made financial decisions without consulting the other. When someone feels blindsided by debt, it erodes trust.”

The key is to keep communication open about your shared financial priorities. Decide with your partner what requires your attention first, then take the time to set yourselves up for success for the rest of the year.

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2. Family boundaries

For many, the holidays mean navigating difficult family dynamics. It’s hard enough to deal with on your own, but feeling like your partner doesn’t support you or help you enforce boundaries? It can weigh heavily on your relationship in the months after.

“I see couples struggle most when they haven’t established clear boundaries with extended family,” Chung says. “One partner might feel obligated to accommodate every family request, while the other feels their needs are being ignored. This imbalance creates resentment and stress that doesn’t disappear when the decorations come down.”

According to psychologist Jeff Segal, adult children “usually feel pressure to balance loyalties between their partner and their family of origin. It is often challenging to keep boundaries when their parents or in-laws overstep. An overarching theme is the adult children struggling with navigating different traditions, values, and parenting styles.” It’s also why Segal noted that boundaries need to be held.

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3. Emotional labor imbalance

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A significant amount of planning, preparation, and organization goes into each holiday season. Unfortunately, one partner’s efforts can sometimes go unnoticed, and the relationship can begin to feel disproportionate.

Chung points out, “The person who handled most of the holiday planning often enters January feeling exhausted and unappreciated. Meanwhile, their partner might be unaware of how much invisible work was done. That gap in awareness fuels arguments that seem to come out of nowhere.”

She suggests that couples sit down and have a calm conversation about how each person felt things went during the holidays, adding, “The post-holiday period offers couples a valuable opportunity to strengthen their relationship if they approach it intentionally. Start by acknowledging that you’re both probably tired and stressed. That awareness alone can help you extend more grace to each other.”

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Kayla Asbach is a writer currently working on her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.