We’ve been taught that the holidays are meaningless if you don’t have a companion to share with. Stop what you’re doing and let that sink in. The holidays don’t have to be about a significant other. You can still celebrate the holidays, even Valentine’s day solo. How? Read further or check out this love and relationship advice website that will give you all the tips!
Tips to Holiday Survival, Solo Style
- Call a Friend or Several
You might feel like no one knows what you’re going through. However, it’s not the case! There’s a good chance one of your fellow single friends feels the same. Alternatively, some of your taken friends might want some time with only their friends too. Chat one or a few of them up! See if you can make plans together for the holidays.
Some ideas you can try out are visiting each other’s families, throwing a big bash (perfect idea for New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day), or a simple get-together for dinner or a trip. This will keep your mind off your single status and more on the current relationships you have. Plus, the planning will certainly keep you busy.
- Don’t Dwell on Your Singleness
When all you see are happy couples around you, it can make it difficult to forget you’re single. However, you can’t dwell on it. No one was born with a partner, and it takes time to find the right one. The happy couples you see now were once in your shoes. They know what it was like to be single and many of them wouldn’t dream of confronting you about it.
Sure, you’ll run into the couples that flaunt it or make judgmental comments but it’s best to ignore those types of people. Do your best to hang out with those who love you and won’t make a rude comment over your single status.
On the same note, don’t isolate. It’s tempting to want to hide out and avoid everyone but that’s only going to reinforce the notion that you don’t have someone. Instead, keep a busy schedule. Maybe you want to work an extra shift, hang out with friends or family, or go on a trip.
- Treat Yourself or Others
That’s right! Wine and dine yourself. There’s nothing wrong with buying a bottle of wine and having dinner at a restaurant or ordering takeout. The worst thing you can do for yourself is curl up into a ball and pity that you don’t have a special someone.
Treat yourself whichever way you see fit. Maybe you’ve been wanting to travel, see a movie, or head to the spa. The holidays are the perfect time to do it! You can even write it off as a present for yourself during Christmas or Valentine’s Day.
Feel awkward about treating yourself? Treat others. If you’re someone that has a hard time treating yourself, you can always take a friend with you or just spoil your loved ones. Take them out to dinner, shopping, on a trip, or buy them tons of presents. Alternatively, maybe charity or volunteering makes you feel good. It benefits you and others too. Look into charities or volunteer opportunities that interest you. The holiday season needs more people to help than usual.
- Spend Time with Family
Holidays don’t have to become meaningless because you don’t have a significant other. You can spend time with single relatives, younger relatives, or the whole family in general. Choosing single relatives might seem like the better option because you don’t have the worry about the pressures of topics about dating or the single life. You can enjoy the time you’re spending with them without judgment.
You may not think this sounds fun but spending time with younger cousins or nieces and nephews could be rewarding too. You will not only get to know them better and form a closer bond, but you may prove to become a role model for them.
The idea of hanging out with your whole family might seem daunting. You want to avoid all the questions about why you don’t have children or a partner yet. Luckily, there’s a workaround. You can always bounce back with a witty comeback for that nosey aunt or focus on what you have accomplished instead.
- Go on a Trip
It’s easier said than done and you may have obligations but going away might give you a clearer perspective on yourself. Plus, it helps to get away from the drama you may encounter on Christmas or Valentine’s Day when being single.
Think about the places you’ve been dying to visit and make a plan. If you can’t afford the time away so far, you can always do a weekend trip for yourself. Taking time away to spend time alone can open your eyes to why you’re single or reaffirm your love for yourself.
Alternatively, you can invite friends or family too! You’re hardly the only single person you know. Invite a few friends to join you on the trip or single family members. While you don’t think you will have much fun, you never know what kind of adventures you will get into!
Final Thoughts
Flying solo for the holidays doesn’t seem like any fun when you know everyone will have that special someone. Luckily, you can easily survive the holidays without much effort (a lot in a few cases). The most important thing you should remember is why you’re single and that everyone was single once too. It doesn’t mean you’ll forever celebrate solo. Surround yourself with people that love you and won’t pass judgment. Keep yourself busy to avoid dwelling on your relationship woes and just have some fun!
This content is brought to you by the FingerLakes1.com Team. Support our mission by visiting www.patreon.com/fl1 or learn how you send us your local content here.