It's never a good time to get dumped or have to break up with your mate. But it's even worse when the end is near...and so is a holiday, like Valentine's Day, Christmas or even a birthday. So whether you're the dumper or the dumpee, here are a few ways to handle the split and move on so that you can enjoy the festivities. First, if you foresee needing to leave your lover, then take all the same precautions you would if breaking up with him or her at a regular time of year. Don't use the dreaded "let's just be friends" adage if you don't want to be, and particularly avoid the phrase if you don't want to buy your soon-to-be ex a gift. On that note, breaking up with someone simply to avoid giving a gift is just...lame. If you still care for the person, then don't break up over gift-giving alone! If money is an issue, then explain that to your sweetheart - there are plenty of ways to celebrate holidays inexpensively. And last, try to avoid breaking up on the actual holiday - nothing sucks more than remembering that birthday when your beloved dumped you, or that Christmas when you slept off an egg nog hangover under the tree after being dumped.