Dating During The Holidays Is Actually The Worst

Everyone always says that dating during the holiday season is the best. Saying things like it’s a great time to meet someone, or the best way to jump start a new relationship. Honestly though, I think dating during the holidays is actually the worst.  The only time dating during the holiday is good is when you’ve been with your partner long-term.

For some reason society thinks that single people are going to find their next relationship on New Year’s or a little before. This is something that is far from accurate though. Starting a new relationship right during gift giving season is nothing but anxiety. You have to wonder if the two of you are exchanging gifts, and are “on that level” yet. If you’re unsure, you have to find out. Because no one wants to be that person who doesn’t get their significant other a present, or worse… you don’t want to be that person that assumed you were exchanging. So, to avoid this you have to have the dreaded convo; “Are we exchanging presents?”. This can either propel a relationship with the response of “Yes! Of course!”. Or backfire with “Umm… I don’t think we really need to do that”. Either route, it’s a mess of awkwardness. Good luck.

New Year’s isnt any better.  The crowd on this night will consist of couples ringing in the new year together with their midnight kisses, single girls on the hunt for theirs’s, and the bros who are sipping on their beer. The single girls are hoping and praying that the frog they kiss at midnight will turn into their prince charming for the next year; the guys are hoping to get lucky. Sounds like the perfect scenario to start a new relationship, right? Think again. That midnight kiss probably won’t turn into anything, and you’ll still be single going into the new year.

So yes, being single during the holidays can be depressing. But a brand-new relationship isn’t much better either. What about for those who have been dating for about a month or two before the start of the holidays? Bad news. Still not a great scenario.

Back to gift giving, you’re secretly hoping the two of you will exchange but no one wants to say anything because then it can come off wrong. You could be labeled negatively, and it could result in the same weird conversation of the “sure I guess we can exchange gifts”. When essentially, it’s all just a test.

So, the holiday is approaching, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, there is some sort of family get-together. Is now the time to bring the significant other home? Have they met the family yet? Or just the parents? Are they ready to meet aunts, uncles, cousins, great-grandmothers? Are you ready for that? So many questions, so many unknown answers. Good luck asking them to join the family dinner, and good luck getting through that.

At least this year you get a New Year’s Kiss… hopefully. Another weird conversation to have about what each other’s plans are. Do you celebrate at home with the family? Is it a girl’s night out? A full-on party at someone’s house? Whatever the plan is, hopefully the two of you are together to get that Instagram worthy snapchat of your midnight kiss.

Don’t get me wrong though, I love the holidays and I love spending it with someone I care about. I recently went through the whole, “Hey want to come to this holiday party with me?” Scenario, and it was great. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t in full-fledged panic. I most definitely was.

So for those of you who are settled into your long-term relationships, snuggle up with your love and appreciate that your awkward and worry filled days are over. Some of us are still trying to overcome it. Those of you single, wait till summer to find your next relationship. Less anxiety.