Single for the holidays: five reasons why it’s good
If you’re single this Christmas, you might be thinking about how to navigate a dateless holiday season. If friends have been pestering you to find love or if you’ve just ended a relationship, you might be tempted to dwell on the negative. But don’t stay discouraged for too long- remember these five reasons why it’s good to be single for the holidays.
A Smaller Shopping List
You’re no Scrooge, but Christmas shopping can be time-consuming and expensive. Did Mister or Miss Not-Right just dump you? Forget about buying them a Christmas gift- that’s one less person on your list and more for friends, family or the Secret Santa exchange at work.
The Ability to Say No – or Yes
In a season full of parties, you might find yourself exhausted if you’re an introvert that prefers quiet nights at home or fun with small groups of friends. On the other hand, if you’re an extroverted social butterfly, passing on a party invite might be unthinkable. As a single person, you don’t have another person's feelings to consider. You can do as you please and change your mind on a moment's notice.
Being Full of Christmas Spirit
When you’re coupled up, you can get involved in the community on your own or with the one you love. But when you’re single, you don’t need to worry about another person’s schedule – unless you have kids, the only person’s time you have to think about is yours. Christmas is a great time to take advantage of this freedom. Does your local food bank need volunteers? You can sign up. Want to go Christmas caroling at a senior citizen’s home? You can. Can you pass for Santa or an elf? Be a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army or visit kids in a hospital. You can also use your time to bake Christmas cookies or play social director to organize your friends to go ice skating, see a Christmas play or watch a Christmas light show.
Nobody Else’s Family Dysfunction
Four Christmases with Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon is a hilarious look at how the holidays can bring out family tension. If you have a hard time dealing with your own relatives during the holidays, just imagine what it would be like dealing with someone else’s family drama. Your time flying solo is the perfect time to make peace with your own problems or face issues you haven’t dealt with yet.
You Could Meet Someone Special By Next Christmas
A lot can happen in a year. Is there anything you want to accomplish in your life that would be harder to do once you’re in a serious relationship like paying down debt, going to college or working towards a dream? Are you the kind of person you would want to meet? Are you becoming the kind of person you would want to meet?
