It’s Truly the ‘Most Wonderful Time of the Year’
The holiday season has arrived. The leaves have fallen, the air is crisp, and trash cans everywhere are overflowing with empty pumpkin spice latte cups. For the married, there are couple’s holiday cards to make, arguments to be had about which holiday parties to attend, and hours of dealing with ridiculous shopping crowds, when we should be watching football. For the rest of us, the holidays are a lot less complicated and a lot more fun.
Here are 9 reasons that the holidays can be awesome when you’re single!
1. More Free time to do what you want
What Are You Doing With Your Free Time? Easy answer, whatever you want.
Of course, this answer quickly becomes more complicated if you have kids, but you still get to set the schedule. Make use of the time how you want to. Take a vacation. Maybe there’s a show you haven’t been able to catch up on or a holiday tradition that is special to you that you want your kids to experience. Whatever you need the time for, use it, and don’t feel bad about it.
2. Decorations are Optional
There are two types of people in this world: decorators and the people who get stuck helping them decorate.
No extra runs to the store to get more lights, tinsel or scented candles. No one calling you a Grinch because you don’t want to decorate for three straight days. Unless, of course, you’re Clark Griswold (in which case you’ll enjoy it). So, whichever side you’re on, you get to make the decision.
3. You’re the Remote Master
Christmas Movies or Football? You get to make the choice!
Isn’t it great when you all are in one living room and everyone wants to watch something different? Christmas movies, live performances of Christmas favorites, football, everyone has their own desires. Luckily, if you’re by yourself, you are the remote master.
4. Holiday Parties are Optional
The holiday season gets cluttered with work, friend, and family parties. Those obligations double when you have a significant other. That extra time that you would have spent talking to your other half’s coworkers about how great The Mandalorian is, can now be spent on more important things, like binge-watching The Mandalorian.
5. No Awkward Family Introductions
Isn’t it great when you have to drop that first “this is my friend/girlfriend” introduction? It gets even better when you get 20 follow up questions. When did you meet? Why haven’t you told me about her? When are you getting married? These situations always force you into overcompensating on your answers to avoid awkward moments or fights. This year, “I’m focusing on my career” can be the easy answer to any relationship questions.
6. No Fights
What your ex would say: “Are you going to wear that shirt I bought you?”
How you wanted to respond: “It’s hideous, doesn’t fit well, or makes me look like I just spent the last six months recovering from double knee replacement surgery in a hospital that only serves Cinnabon.”
How you actually responded: “Sure, honey!”
Gifts are great, except when they come with an obligation. If you wear your favorite jersey to dinner, your mom is the only one you have to worry about being mad.
7. You’re Free to Mingle
Those parties that you may or may not go to, you have the freedom to talk to everyone. Have you ever talked to someone at a social event and then immediately have to explain in detail why you were talking to that person and why they aren’t a threat to your relationship? This year, be as chatty as you’d like. Just stay away from the CrossFit guy’s girlfriend. The last thing you want is to get yourself into a holiday bro-down.
8. You can Leave the Party Whenever you Want
When can we leave?
After this game, at halftime, after my nap, after I eat a whole pie? All acceptable answers.
The best part is, no one is going to be asking you when you can go home. Whenever you’re ready, hit the road. Well, if the party dies down and you’re still on the couch eating spoonfuls of cool whip, someone may ask when you plan on leaving.
9. You get a free pass from Shopping
Wanna go shopping?
No. Nobody really wants to go shopping, right?
It’s even worse during the holiday season, so it’s a good thing you’re on your own schedule. You no longer have to sit around waiting for the queen of indecision to figure out if she’s buying her sister a pair of toe socks or footsie pajamas. Now, you have less shopping to do, and you can do it on your own time. Make a run on your lunch break or wait until last minute, there’s no one to bug you about whether or not it’s already done.
The holidays can be a stressful time. If you’re alone this year, maybe it’s because you want to be and maybe not.
Whatever the case is, make the best of it. Even if you’re not excited about having all the time for yourself right now, you’ll like it even less if you look back and realize you wasted it. Make a plan and treat yourself this year.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Divorce Lawyers for Men!
9 Great Things about Being Divorced during the Holidays Article Written by Ben Sockle
