Contributed by: kellyseal on Sunday, December 09 2012 @ 09:05 am
Last modified on
The holidays can be a stressful time of year, especially for navigating romantic relationships. If you're single, you wonder how to meet someone new. If you've just started dating someone, maybe you're debating whether or not to ask him to your office party or a friend's holiday gathering.
There are no right or wrong answers, but it's a good idea to take a deep breath and concentrate on enjoying yourself this season. After all, the holidays are a time for us to express gratitude, do kind things for others, and indulge in a little holiday eating. The stress is something we put on ourselves, but recognize that you don't have to. Follow these simple steps for dating during the holidays:
If you're single:
Go out. Accept those invitations to parties, office happy hours, and family gatherings. Even though time is short and we often feel stretched, it's a good idea to make time to cultivate relationships, especially this time of year. Don't put pressure on yourself to find someone special, just meet people, circulate, and have some fun. Open yourself up to new experiences.
Ignore the nay-sayers. There will be friends and family members who ask you about your love life, but you don't have to make excuses or go into detail about why you broke up with your last boyfriend or why you're still single. Instead, if you'd rather not talk about you, change the subject to focus on them, what they're up to - and don't feel pressured to answer their questions. If they keep pushing, feel free to excuse yourself and walk away.
If you just started dating:
Parties aren't mandatory. That is, don't feel compelled to ask your new love interest to go to your office party or to your Aunt Jenny's Christmas brunch just because you're dating. Taking a date could bring up all sorts of uncomfortable questions or make Aunt Jenny think it's more serious than it is. There's plenty of time to introduce him to your family and co-workers after the holidays at your own pace. Don't feel bad if he doesn't invite you to his work party, either. Both of you are allowed to do your own thing.
Gifting isn't required. It's a good idea to talk about gifts before the holidays, and whether or not you want to exchange them. There's no need to put pressure on yourselves and the relationship if you've just started dating, so I say refrain and wait on giving gifts until you've been dating longer. If you're really excited to get him something, don't do it with the expectation that he will give you a gift in return - unless you talk about it first.
Most importantly, enjoy yourself and the festivities of the season. Happy holidays!