Many people believe that being single during the holidays is saved for the brave. Between being bombarded by corny he-went-to-Jared commercials and coupons for couple’s skating specials, it can be easy to feel miserable because you don’t have one specific person with whom to spend the next month. But we disagree. In fact, being single during the holidays is exciting and often less stressful than being attached. For all you skeptics who require a bit more support, here are five reasons to be delighted about being single:
1. Fewer Presents to Purchase:
Let’s be real here—shopping for your family and close friends can be more like a chore than an enjoyable experience. However, with no boyfriend, you don’t need to hunt through the men’s sweater section of Banana Republic or brave the murky sales floor of Golf Galaxy. In many ways, this is a double feature: you save time and money (not to mention, future wrinkles from the anxiety of the will-he-love-it-or-hate-it struggle). This way, you can go buy yourself that necklace you’ve been eyeing at Urban Outfitters and the only stress you have is how to assemble the perfect ensemble to go with it.
2. No Stress About Keeping Him Amused at Your Family Events:
I have an unusually large family that can multiply better than School House Rock. Any time a new boyfriend or girlfriend tags along to our celebrations, they are initially overwhelmed and consequently demand the sole attention of whichever cousin or sibling brought him or her along. A lot of us college students don’t have the pleasure of seeing our families often, so spending these special occasions worrying about keeping your boyfriend amused can ruin the event or take time away from catching up with your hilariously kooky aunt. Nor do you have to worry that your plus-one will crack a joke that your conservative grandfather will openly not appreciate.
3. You Don’t Have to Split Your Time Between His Family and Yours:
Participating in a holiday brings as much as work as it does joy. Opening presents, cleaning up wrapping paper, shoveling leftovers into the right sized Tupperware and catching up with family can be a whirlwind. But doing all of this in half the time because you have an hour drive to attend your boyfriend’s family’s merriment is tiring. And once you arrive, there’s pressure to charm a slew of people you may not especially like (appreciating the crazy family members you have is one achievement; pretending to love other people’s is a whole different slice of pie). Remember, you also have to convince them to like you. For the single girls, enjoying time with your family who already has to love you, no matter how many times you mess up that cheesy joke about snowmen, is certainly a blessing to be enjoyed.
4. Only Your Skinny Jeans Will Notice a Bit of Holiday Weight Gain:
Aunt Bonnie made her annual batch of Christmas cookies and you may have tried each of the ten different types and then re-tried every one to confirm your opinion of their flavor. That top button from your jeans may not be as friendly with your tummy as it was the week before, but you can go home and befriend a different pair of pants until they make up. Christmas treats are truly best enjoyed during December, but with a boyfriend you might feel pressure to ignore a certain course of your meal. When you’re ridin’ solo, feel free to gorge on your favorite morsels and know you’ll take care of it later, with no justification to anyone but yourself.
And lastly (and appropriately the most fun)…
5. Mistletoe Provides the Perfect Excuse to Kiss Whomever You’d Like:
And you can do the same when the clock strikes midnight as the calendar flips pages. Go to a bar on New Years or a friend’s party around Christmas and you’ll likely have the urge to cuddle up with at least one cutie you’ve yet to meet. With mistletoe conveniently hanging and glittery disco balls opportunely descending at midnight, be brave and go kiss that guy you’ve been checking out. Everyone is happy to be celebrating, and while I’m no psychologist, I like to think that it lowers the chance of being rejected.
Although I’m tempted to quote one of Beyonce’s surfeit of encouraging single girl anthems, I’ll leave that to Top 40 radio. Whether you’re truly happy to be single or lusting a real life Ken, make the best of it. Go out with your crazy girl friend and don’t worry about checking in with a jealous boyfriend when you get home, or watch Bridget Jones’s Diary one and two without hearing complaining (or snoring) from your uninterested main squeeze. Chances are you won’t be single forever. Live it up while you can!