Shield your eyes and cover your ears, cuffing season is officially upon us. Get ready for the couples holding hands shopping, falling over each other ice skating, and kissing (is mauling a better word?) each other under mistletoes. Barf. It seems like everywhere I look the holiday season never neglects to remind me I am single. From cute couples on the street to the never-ending releases of holiday rom-coms on Netflix there is no escaping this magical time of romance. And the worst part is that those sickeningly sweet couples feel sorry for us single folk like being single is something to be sorry for! Not this year. Screw the narrative that being single during the holidays is inherently lonely.
 It’s time to switch up the narrative. Being single during the holidays does not mean you are missing out. It can be a time of never-experienced freedom and fun. Without the expectations and obligations that come with a relationship or the stress that comes from a situationship, you have the chance to embrace the season entirely on your terms.
Here are five reasons I’m not just happy to be single this holiday season, I’m relieved:
1. No Need To Travel Means More Time With Your Family
When you’re in a relationship, there are expectations to visit your partner during the holidays. Oftentimes this means traveling far when you only have so much time on break from school anyway. When you’re single you don’t have to worry about any of the stress of traveling or the FOMO from being away from your home friends. Plus, you get to spend all the time you would normally spend at your partner’s house with your family.
2. No Awkward Dinners with Your Significant Others Parents
Holiday dinners can already be stressful, but the pressure doubles when you’re navigating the expectations of someone else’s family. From remembering everyone’s names to dodging awkward questions about your relationship, these dinners can feel more like an interview than a festive meal. By spending the holidays solo, you can enjoy relaxed, laughter-filled meals with your own family or friends—no need to impress anyone or adapt to another family’s quirks or messy dynamics.
3. No Pressure To Buy The Perfect Gift
As much as I love giving gifts, the process of picking one out and obsessing over whether or not it’s the perfect gift is something I will not be missing this year. Being single means saving time and money or spending it on family, friends or yourself instead.
4. No Guilt Over Priorities
For us college students the holiday season is stressful enough with finals and internship applications looming over our heads. Balancing these responsibilities with the demands of a relationship can feel overwhelming. Being single allows you to put your full time and effort into these responsibilities without feeling guilty about not spending quality time with your partner.Â
5. No Long-Distance Sadness
As a college student, unless you and your partner live in the same town and attend the same college, sometime during the holiday season you are dealing with long-distance. I always felt the heartache of distance hits harder during the holidays when everything is focused on love, togetherness, and intimacy. So, being single might actually be kinder to the heart this time of year. I know I feel a lot lonelier being away from a partner than I do being single.
Remember, any holiday activity that can be done with a significant other can also be done with a friend! Certain holiday traditions are even better when shared with a close girlfriend or done solo.Â
Here are five holiday activities I am excited to do with my girls or solo:
1. Holiday Baking
Here’s a little secret: any real baker hates sharing their kitchen– even with the person they love. Baking solo is a chance to embrace your inner Martha Stewart and get creative and experimental. But, if you really can’t bear baking the holiday cookies alone, invite your Snoop Dogg alternative over and go crazy. Here are some of my holiday baked good favorites.
2. Holiday Market Shopping
For those of us into the male species, we all know straight men simply do not have the shopping stamina to do a holiday market in full as it should be done. Shopping is for the girls! Strolling leisurely through every stall, picking up handcrafted ornaments, sniffing candles, and sampling every free cookie or mulled wine option is an art form that cannot be rushed. And if you go with your girls there will be no voice of reason to stop you from impulse buying (that’s a plus for me). Here are the best holiday markets in Rhode Island you can visit before you go home for the season.
3. Gingerbread House Decorating
Any contest even if it’s holiday-themed and intended to spread love and joy and all of those magical things is bound to bring out the competitiveness between a couple. Building a gingerbread house is more fun when you can be ruthlessly mean and judgmental about your competition’s poor artistic choices.
4. Hitting Your Hometown Hotspots
If you are old enough to go to the bar, get excited to do it single this season. Reunite with your high school and hometown old friends and flirt as much as your heart desires.Â
5. Festive Self Care Night
A festive self-care night is the perfect way to unwind during the holiday season. Light a holiday-scented candle, slip into cozy pajamas, and indulge in your favorite treats while watching a Christmas movie. It’s a time to relax and recharge, focusing solely on yourself without any distractions.