Ho-Ho-Hold On! Why Christmas Might Be Breaking More Than Just the Bank

The holiday season is often described as the most wonderful time of the year. For many people, it’s also the most wonderful time to be in the bedroom. As we’ve discussed previously on the blog, people tend to have more sex during the holidays. However, this seasonal increase in sexual activity has a darker side. It seems that some people get a little too carried away with merry-making in the bedroom, resulting in sexual injuries. In this post, we’re going to explore why people have more sex around the holidays, and a specific injury that seems disproportionately likely to occur at this time of year: penile fracture.

Sex Changes With the Seasons

Studies show that sexual activity tends to spike at two key times of the year. The first peak occurs in the summer. The second occurs in late December and early January, where the highest levels of activity typically occur during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. There are several factors that might explain this holiday bump in sex. For example, many people take vacations during this time, which may create more opportunities for intimacy. Also, being away from work, attending parties, drinking alcohol, and being in a positive mood may make it easier for people to get in the mood and feel sexual desire. However, during the times of year when sexual activity rises, we also tend to see an increase in things people don’t want to experience from sex, including higher STI rates and sexual injuries.

What is a Penile Fracture?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a penile fracture happens when an erect penis is suddenly bent or struck, resulting in a popping or cracking sound, followed by immediate pain, loss of erection, and swelling. Penile fractures are serious and often require surgery to repair the damaged tissue. Common causes of a penile fracture include rough masturbation, accidental trauma, and extra vigorous sex (see here to learn about the intercourse positions that are most commonly linked to penile fracture).

The Holiday Season as a Risk Factor for Penile Fracture

In a 2023 study, researchers studied over 3,400 men who had experienced a penile fracture requiring a hospital stay in order to see what time of year these injuries are most likely to occur [1]. The researchers thought that Christmas might be a particularly high period for these injuries, given that people tend to have more sex at this time.

They found that the holiday season is indeed a time when we see increased penile injuries, with a disproportionate number of penile fractures occurring around Christmas. During this period, the daily incidence of fractures was 0.78, compared to 0.54 on days outside the holiday season. The authors noted that if every day were like Christmas, we’d see a 43% increase in penile fractures!

Interestingly, the increase in penile fractures seems to be unique to the Christmas holiday itself. For example, the authors did not find New Year’s to have a particularly high rate of penile fractures. However, they did note that fractures were also higher on weekends and in the summer when compared to other times of the year, which suggests that these injuries are happening when people are happy and enjoying their sex lives.

Should You Be Worried About This? And How Do You Reduce Risk of Penile Fracture?

While the rates of penile fractures do seem to be higher during the holidays, it’s important to note that penile fracture is a relatively uncommon experience in general. The odds of it happening are low, so it’s not a reason to avoid sex around the holidays (or any other time of year).

To reduce the risk of a penile fracture during sex or masturbation, it’s important to avoid bending an erection too much. Things to think about here include guiding the penis when changing sexual positions, using lubrication to minimize friction, and being cautious with certain positions that may put more strain on the penis, like ‘reverse cowgirl’ or ‘doggystyle.’

As urologist Dr. Justin Dubin said in a previous interview, “This shouldn’t prevent you from doing anything that you want to do with your partner just as long as you’re communicating and enjoying each other. If you have aggressive sex, that’s great. Just be conscious of what you’re doing, and try to have control.”

Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here to check out other articles on the blog and here to listen to the podcast. You can also follow us on Instagram (@JustinJLehmiller), Facebook (facebook.com/psychologyofsex), Twitter (@JustinLehmiller), Bluesky, or Reddit (reddit.com/r/psychologyofsex) to receive updates.

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