There are many things that can be thoroughly enjoyable over the holiday season. Going to your hometown and drinking with your math teacher under the table, taking your nieces to see Santa, re-watching Die Hard for the thousandth time as your mother falls asleep on the sofa. However, there are a few things that are less fun, like spending New Year’s Eve without anyone to kiss at midnight, trying to stick to a budget with Christmas shopping or dealing with relatives asking you when you’re going to settle down and start producing children, like you’re just a womb wearing antlers.
Dating New Partner During The Holidays
If, like me, you don’t live in your hometown, this can be a pretty great time to come back looking all flash and big-city, and quickly bump into the guy you had a crush on when you were in high school. Now you’re bereft of your braces and he’s lost the letterman jacket and you’re on much more even footing.
Sure, hooking up with your co-workers in the copy room at the office bash is a bad idea, but maybe a festive dinner with blind dates or plus-ones can be a good way to meet new people and eat some great food at the same time. There are often lots of seasonal events that make for either great first dates or a good way to find someone with similar interests and get to know them better over a cup of mulled wine.
Christmas markets are often idyllic (especially if you find one that isn’t overrun by tourists) and skating rinks, light shows and winter wonderlands are also frequently cute, joyful and friendly, and therefore provide a perfect opportunity to bat your eyes as the snow falls and the baubles twinkle. Of all my suggestions, this is the most compatible with a Hallmark movie.
Dating Apps
If you’re on dating apps, check to see if they’re organizing anything special. Sites like Tinder and Hinge are always looking for ways to shake things up and create different opportunities for their members to connect. For example, in 2019, Bumble hosted a Christmas party for singles with a gospel choir and drag queens.
Personally, I would have been most curious to see how those two groups interacted, but I would have also enjoyed a joyous singles’ event where everyone is looking for love and you don’t need to worry (as much) about flirting with someone, only to realize they’ve got a significant other waiting at home already.
There might be some limits and restrictions this year because of the pandemic, but if you’re vaccinated and ready for a good time, dating sites will be eager to help you to find someone to kiss under the mistletoe. It’s also often worth checking out any local singles events in your area. Take a friend – or two – and make an evening of it, complete with outfits and post-event review drinks… or brunch the next day, if things go well.
If you find someone, great! If not, at least you’ve had a nice time with your girls and you’ve got some stories to laugh at later. If possible, find one with a fun theme like an ugly-sweater party so you can get a little creative as well. The holidays can be great. You can eat your favorite foods, catch up with old friends and see your family.
This is a religious time for many and an opportunity to reconnect with your faith and enjoy the sense of community and celebration that this can involve. I think it’s also a wonderful time to snuggle up whilst it’s snowing outside and enjoy the sparkle of someone new as you look back on the past year and consider where you’d like things to lead for the next one.
Rachel Hall, M.A., completed her education in English at the University of Pennsylvania and received her master’s degree in family therapy from Northern Washington University. She has been actively involved in the treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, and coping with life changes and traumatic events for both families and individual clients for over a decade. Her areas of expertise include narrative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and therapy for traumatic cases. In addition, Rachel conducts workshops focusing on the psychology of positive thinking and coping skills for both parents and teens. She has also authored numerous articles on the topics of mental health, stress, family dynamics and parenting.
Leave feedback about this