Why you don’t need a significant other this holiday season
As the evenings get colder and the chill of the winter wind starts to nip at your nose, it can only mean one thing, and no, I’m not talking about pumpkin spice season. I’m talking about the abundance of Hallmark movies released in time with the season and the pictures of cheesy holiday dates to see the holiday lights with a cup of hot chocolate that appear on Instagram around this time of year. Yes, when the seasons change, so does dating culture, and suddenly, it’s as if everyone has someone to cuddle up with this holiday season, leaving a growing pressure to find someone whom you can change your Facebook status for.
However, considering the current turn of events, how important is “cuffing season” this year? The truth is, not very, for a few reasons. First, quarantine isn’t exactly an ideal time to mingle with strangers. Spending all the time we have at home worrying about whether or not we will have a significant other this season is not the best way to spend our time, either. It’s easy to get lost in the idea of a significant other this holiday season, especially with pressure from corporations and social media to be in a relationship during the holidays, but the truth is, the holiday season is great for loving yourself. This leads me to reason number two: It’s a better time than ever to normalize doing holiday things solo or with a friend. Brownies do taste better when you have a whole pan to yourself, and there’s less judgment when you cry to “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Ultimately, we should all spend this holiday season not wishing for the perfect relationship, but working on the ones we already have and working on ourselves through those relationships.
Although companies and media try to push the notion of “cuffing season” through cheesy holiday flicks and matching couples holiday pajamas, the holidays are for whoever makes you happy, whether that’s your best friend, your cousin or your dog. So this holiday season, you don’t need a significant other to look at the Christmas lights with or enjoy the latest Hallmark movie. You only need the people who make you happy and, most importantly, you only need yourself.
Contact Isabella Carreno at icarreno@dailycal.org.