7 Pros of Being Single during the Holidays ...

When was the last time you did something fun for you? This holiday season embrace the freedom of not being tied down to someone» and enjoy hosting and going to holiday parties. This is such an awesome way to tune into your creative side: go crazy decorating your dorm room/ apartment/house; splurge on party favors and junk food; stalk Pinterest and Instagram to search for the cutest ways of turning food and party favors into decorations for the tables. I host a holiday party every year and also join forces with my best friends to plan themed holiday parties every weekend of the month of December (like Ugly Christmas Sweater Party). You don’t need a man to complete you or make you feel special this holiday season – having fun at gatherings is one of the best pros of being single during the holidays.

Talk about freedom! Although guys are simpler and it tends to be easier to shop for them than to shop for ourselves, the dollars somehow seem to still leak out of our wallets, am I right? Put your ideal romantic comedy movie idea of a relationships during the holidays aside for a minute and think of the opportunity cost of not having a boyfriend. I’m going to be a nerd and talk economics for a second, bare with me: the opportunity cost is basically giving up something to gain something else… so if you’re not in a relationship that means you don’t need to spend money, time, stress for a boyfriend but rather, you can spend money, time, and stress (well, hopefully not the stress part) on yourself! If you’re a giver, take this as an opportunity to use the money toward buying a nice gift for your BFF or professor or parent, I’m sure they’d love it and it will warm their heart!

Speaking of giving to a parent, focusing on family is another great pro to being single during the holidays. This may be an eye-rolling topic of discussion for some of you, but family time isn’t always THAT bad. Maybe your family does the same thing every year and the thought of doing it alone is just dreadful to you. Bring a board game, spice up the conversations with something new and exciting. My family is really big on playing taboo every holiday. I have to admit I have some of the best memories playing that silly game with them! Take this holiday season as a way of starting a new tradition – you’ll never know unless you try and this year you have 100% of yourself to dedicate to creating new, happy, and priceless memories with the family!

So maybe you used to go to his family’s house instead of your own, or maybe you used to take him to your family’s house and nobody got along. Well, this year you have the flexibility to do whatever you want to do. There’s obviously a theme of freedom that keeps echoing in each of these points so far but take it from someone who has shared a lot of holidays with me, myself, and I, the freedom is the best part and I am just emphasizing on the different ways that it can get you through this holiday season alone. Having a flexible schedule can also mean going away for the first time – perhaps you’ve had this longing to take a vacation in a different country or go visit those cousins of yours at the beach whom you haven’t seen in a while. The choice is yours…enjoy it.

This one can sound cheesy and cliché but why not use this time of new-found single freedom to help others in need this year? This can be something as simple as feeling a sense of joy by donating toys to children or visiting the elderly. This could even be your way of starting a new tradition with your family! Start a clothing collection for homeless shelters or volunteer at the soup kitchen. This is the time of giving, right? Helping others could be a great way to forget about being single and begin focusing on the true meaning of the holiday season.

Go on, girl, call up that bestie of yours you haven’t seen for months! "I’m busy" isn’t an excuse during this time of year. Sure the holidays can be stressful and crazy, but if you’re going home for break and have no more homework or studying to do, why not call up everyone you know who is also single and go mingle! Just because you’re riding solo doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun. Who knows, maybe mingling with other singles can lead to a potential relationship with a new cutie for 2014!

Okay, so the whole article has basically centered on family and friends and spending time with others. But what about me? I’m glad you asked! Me Time is the most beneficial pro of being single during the holidays because it’s a time to pamper yourself, spend quality time with your thoughts, and enjoy the alone time. If you’ve had a rough few months and feel like you haven’t had a chance to just sit down with some lit candles, chocolate, and cheesy movies then do it this time! Personally, I’ve wanted to enjoy a breakfast in bed kind of Saturday without any disturbances, distractions, or worries about having to take care of somebody else. I just want to sip hot chocolate in bed, snuggle with my cat, Luna, and enjoy watching Hallmark movies all day while watching the snow fall outside my window.

This holiday season, embrace the confidence of being single if you are single and remember that you can have fun and still enjoy yourself without having a man by your side. What is one way you will embrace being single this holiday season?