Top 5: Reasons it's okay to be single over the holidays

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1. One less person to buy a gift for. Sometimes it's easy, more often than not you're probably stressing to find something perfect. You'll save money and spend less time at the mall. Win/win.

2. You don't have to divide your time. Two different families, possible three or four if you have divorced parents, to see can become hectic. A party here and a dinner there means having to shuffle around from place to place, meeting many new people and having to make awkward chit-chat. When you only have to stay in one place, it's less to worry about.

3. More time to spend with friends and family. This goes along with the one above. When you don't have to divide your time between two [or three, or four] different families, you have more time to see your parents and friends. People you probably haven't seen in a long time.

4. You'll be more comfortable. You don't have to worry about sleeping in separate bedrooms or him hearing your embarrassing childhood stories [especially if it's a new guy]. Same goes for being the new girlfriend meeting his group of friends.

5. Freedom to have fun. Although you don't have the comfort of having a person you know you can kiss on midnight on New Year's Eve, being single gives you the chance to do whatever you want [within reason, no drunk toplessness please!]. Find a cute guy to kiss under the mistletoe, without having to worry about an attachment. You will never be as young as you are tonight.

I know it's not the easiest thing. This is a time for people to come together, and is a little harder to ignore than the obviously commercial Valentine's Day. That doesn't mean you should dig yourself into a holiday pit and sulk. Reconnect with your friends and have a good time. It will certainly make up for any lack of a significant other.

With love and mistletoe

Cathryn