Your Facebook feed, Instagram scroll, gossip from your mother, and The Atlantic are all doling out evidence that everyone just put a ring on it. Though the former sources are more relevant to your life, only The Atlantic offers interesting charts. Jewelry sales make huge spikes every December (this could include other blingy gifts, of course), but diamond rings particularly sell, accounting for 12.3 percent of yearly sales.
Why’s this? Well, it could be a variety of things:
• You panic-proposed under some mistletoe.
• You wanted to check in with the parents of your potential bride or groom, and you saw them face-to-face on a holiday trip.
• You didn’t feel like buying another gift.
• You made a wedding pact with a bunch of your friends while hanging out over break.
• Your nearest and dearest were all gathered, so you could turn a communal holiday into a celebration of family JUST YOU TWO.
• You were confused when your now-fiancée asked you for The Bling Ring for Christmas.
• You finally cracked under questioning from an annoying relative. IRRELEVANT QUESTION, UNCLE PAUL. HEY, MATT. MATT. MATT! YOU WANNA GET MARRIED? Cool. See ya at the wedding, Pauly.
• Christmas bonus money gave you a little more dough for that rock.
• Someone opened a present you were giving to yourself.
Enjoy your wedding season (it’s June, August, September), soon-to-be marrieds. Remember, you don’t always have to do stuff the way everyone else does. Try declaring a nonexistent Leap Day for your save-the-date card so everyone knows you’re no regular couple, you’re a cool couple.
