What to Do If: You Are Single This Holiday Season

Even though it doesn’t seem like it, there really are worse things than being single during the holidays.

I know it sucks walking down the street or around campus and seeing couples holding hands, heading to a party and watching your crush make out with someone else under the mistletoe, or when you head home for the holidays, people keep asking if you are seeing anyone and then they proceed to awkwardly hit on you…. yikes.

The holidays can be rough on the single people of the world, but don’t let it get you down, my unfettered friend.

Downer #1: You have no one to go to parties with.

Positive Spin:

I will not deny that it can be hard going to a party full of happy couples dateless, but you should look at it as an opportunity to connect with friends, meet new people, and hold your head up high.

Just because it SEEMS like everyone at the party has someone, this is usually not the case. You may be preoccupied with all of the love in the room, but in reality, there are other single people there too; you just have to pay attention!

Use a holiday party as an opportunity to play some drinking games that don’t involve pairs, like card games or flip cup. You can chat up the single guy/girl you have been eyeing and see if he or she wants to play.

Scope out who is dancing or someone who looks like fun and once you’re liquid confident, have some fun!

Downer #2: You have no one to exchange gifts with.

Positive Spin:

This seems like a downer for sure, but when you think about it, buying a gift for the person you are dating is a ton of pressure; pressure you don’t want during a time of relaxation and fun!

Think back to all of the crappy gifts you received over the years from past relationships or how much time and effort you put into the gifts you gave to someone else. Did your relationship last? Nope, and neither did the gifts; they’re probably sitting in an attic or garbage can right now!

Also, think about all of the cash you are going to save not swapping gifts with your man or lady! Use the extra cash to buy something for someone in your family, a friend, or even for yourself! Hit up the after holiday sales to get some of the best stuff for half price.

Downer #3: You have no one to kiss at midnight on New Years.

Positive Spin:

Boo-hoo. Instead of crying over the fact that you don’t have a boring, planned kiss at midnight, use this as an opportunity to plant one of your crush or someone random!

It is so much more exciting scoping out a party and deciding who you may want to kiss than finding your drunk boy/girlfriend passed out before the clock strikes 12 (oh yeah, now you remember).

Plus, the tradition of kissing at midnight gives you the EASIEST opener ever. You won’t seem creepy for asking/trying (most of the time) and usually other single people will be relieved to have found someone who wants to kiss them too, so don’t even worry about being awkward, JUST DO IT!

Don’t forget, there is a good chance that there will be other single people at the New Years party you attend! Since New Years parties are typically larger than your average get-together, you are sure to be surrounded by other single people just like you.

Try to go somewhere like a bar where there will be multiple parties going on at once; you will have a greater chance of meeting someone if you go somewhere crowded, full of fun, party people!

Downer #4: You have no one to do seasonal things with.

Positive Spin:

So you love to ski, snowboard, whatever, and you have been invited to your friends’ cabin to do all of the aforementioned…. and you can bring someone; if you want.

While you are reminded for a second that you don’t have someone on your arm, forget that and take your friend up on his/her offer. Planning a weekend with your pals will give you a chance to reconnect your friendship, enjoy each others’ company, and talk about all of the stuff you definitely couldn’t talk about with your guy/girl around.

You will get over the fact that you won’t have to worry about someone else the whole weekend REALLY fast as you pour some drinks and get the party started. Loosen up and head out into the snow; clear your mind and enjoy the weather without being distracted by your partner falling and breaking something like their ski’s, or worse, their neck.

Downer #5: You have no one to bring home to meet your family.

Positive Spin:

Is this seriously on the DOWNER list? As far as I am concerned, this is a positive all the way.

The last thing I want to deal with on a holiday is introducing someone new to my family. It’s awkward, tense and just plain weird!

Relish in the fact that the pressure is off of you and onto someone else (sucks to be you sibling) and enjoy the fact that your parents are not grilling you, or your lover, about their future plans or whether or not the two of you have moved in together.

Final Note

While the holidays are not easy for the single people of the world, these times do not last forever. As soon as New Years is over, it’s smooth sailing until the next major holiday (Thanksgiving 2011?). Use the new year to focus on yourself and the rest will fall into place.

Don’t get caught up in the holidays; it’s okay to be single and like I said, it will be over before you know it and you can start thinking about your summer fling, not who you kissed at midnight!