Let’s face it: it is hard to be happy during the holidays when you are single. The time around the winter holidays can feel like a pressure cooker for people who aren’t in a romantic relationship. Society has a way of making it seem like everyone is coupled up, and the influx of family and friend inquiries about your love life can really amplify feelings of loneliness. But that’s only one side of being a singleton during the holiday season. There’s another side, and it’s all about the unique holiday advantages that single people have. Here are our top strategies for making the most of the holiday season!
1. Connecting on an Emotional Level With Others
The holiday season moves many of us to contemplate not only our past but also our present and future. It nudges us to ponder what really matters in our lives. This annual ritual is, of course, not exclusive to dating during the holidays. Many of us do this regardless of our relationship status. My observed hypothesis: When we drop the usual dating pretense and invest ourselves—even for a moment—in a holiday chat with a stranger at a bar, an old friend, or a family member—we are a little more open and a lot more authentic in our emotional expression. Remember that and you will be happy during the holidays when you are single
2. You Have More Financial Freedom
An advantage of being single during the holidays that is often forgotten is the financial one. The pressure to buy a partner a present can cause an unnecessary amount of stress and worry. When that pressure is alleviated, though, the holiday season becomes all the more enjoyable—and the reason for that is simple: Without the romantic obligations that come with being half of a couple, you don’t have to worry about your bank balance as you indulge in personal and self-care spending.
3. Dealing With Family Dynamics Can Be Fun
For single people, family gatherings can often feel like navigating a minefield. They can be much easier, though, if single people invest in characterizing the family gathering as a space for possible comedic gold. Probing questions can be deflected with humor. Instead of feeling sorry for oneself for not having a partner, a single person can say she’s waiting for a handsome prince, then burst out laughing. Instead of saying, “life is good,” one could say, “I’m working on my dream of being a fantastic, world-famous author. And that’s a bigger deal than getting married in my book.”
4. There Are More People To Meet
The social landscape of the holiday season is loaded with events that offer singles the chance to meet someone new. Whether it’s a work-related gathering or a get-together with a person’s friends and family, the office party is nearly always a good place to connect with someone one didn’t know before. And if we’re talking about holiday parties, well, those are almost always by nature “relaxed” in atmosphere, which is clearly one of the factors that makes the opportunity to connect at any given event a bit better than average.This is how to be happy during the holidays when you are single
6. You Can Throw An Innovative Party
Rather than feeling the pressure that often comes with the New Year’s Eve single status, embrace the opportunity to throw your own party! A New Year’s Eve gathering with a theme can be a fun and different way to connect with the people in your life while also reclaiming the holiday for yourself. Parties don’t have to be alcohol-fueled to be fun, and drinking is not a necessary ingredient for midnight merriment. If you decide to host a gathering instead of an event where you’ll just be showing up and hopefully not alone at midnight, here are some tips for having a good time with a theme you create or choosing some engaging ways to connect with people, new and old.
7. Formulating New Year Intentions
The holiday period is a wonderful opportunity for reflection, and for many, it is an annual occasion to thoughtfully consider the upcoming year. Rather than latently focusing on resolutions that might be difficult to keep, during this time, I might instead focus on setting intentions, which could imbue the new year with even more purpose and positivity. This time of year is also an excellent chance for the not-so-coupled to foster some self-love and work on whatever might need some refurbishing about oneself.
Conclusion
The opportunity to be single during the holiday season carries with it an unusual chance to not only embrace but also to celebrate independence, create connections, and participate in self-care. The focus often can be too much on societal expectations. Shift that focus to personal fulfillment, and the holiday season as a single person can be something really to enjoy. The heart’s open, the mind’s clear; the new year is almost here. What’s stopping you from seeking new adventures, new connections, and new experiences as the upped “you”? Remember, romantic relationships get a lot of hype this time of year, but chiming your own freedom and independence can create a seriously joyous occasion.
