Apparently, many Americans who head home for the holidays plan on seeking out a temporary fling.
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A new study from ZipHealth, a blog that digs into health topics like weight loss and intimacy, surveyed 1,100 Americans who have rekindled romantic relationships when visiting home. The findings are more than a little surprising, hinting that ‘hometown hookups’ are more common than you might think.
For some, heading home during the cozy winter holidays is the perfect time to rekindle a spark with an ex. For others, it’s the perfect time to set their sights on a new fling.
Here’s what the data says about how Americans choose to seek out love when visiting home for the holidays. As ZipHealth puts it, ‘Some holiday traditions never make the family photo album.’
Inside the hometown hookups study
Of the surveyed adults in the study, a whopping 53% said they have hooked up with someone when visiting home over the holidays. In fact, 2 in 5 respondents said that they’ve even extended their vacation to have more time with their hometown fling, while another 70% have prepared ahead of time by seeking out connections via social media.
The big question: Who are we hooking up with when we head home for the holidays?
Almost half of respondents (47%) admit to hooking up with an ex, while 31% say they’ve spent time with a high school or college crush. Friends and classmates are close behind with 23% and 22% of hookups. Only 9% of respondents met up with flings they met on dating apps.
But, in keeping with those romantic Hallmark Christmas movies, 9% of respondents admitted to hooking up with a neighbor when visiting their hometown.
What’s behind the surprisingly sexy pastime of rekindling old flames when visiting home over the holidays? According to the same study, 53% of respondents said they feel more attractive over the holidays. Another 34% of respondents said they seek out hookups out of boredom and nostalgia, too.
Finally, the last question—which generation is most likely to seek out a hometown hookup? The study from ZipHealth found that it’s largely millennials reaching out to old flings. 56% of Millennials have admitted to having a hometown hookup, followed by 21% of Gen Z and 19% of Gen X. Only 4% of Baby Boomers have done the same.
