‘Tis The Season For…Online Dating?

Some of us are busy decking the halls with boughs of holly. Some of us are lighting the menorah. Some are getting trampled by sale-obsessed shoppers at Walmart and Best Buy. Some are still trying to recover from their Thanksgiving food comas. And many of us are wondering whether we'll have a midnight kiss on New Year's Eve.

Singles are always curious about whether there is an ideal time to try online dating. The best answer is "No, the perfect time for online dating is whenever you're ready for it." Online dating requires a significant investment of time, attention, and emotions, so don't dive into it before you're prepared. But if you are ready, why waste time looking for the "right" moment? The right moment is right now.

That being said, there is one time of year it might be just a little bit more right than any other: the week between Christmas and New Year's, all the way through to Valentine's Day.

In December 2011, Match.com's relationship expert Whitney Casey said that "From December 26 to February 14 is our busiest season. New Year's Eve is such a big deal because it's a new beginning." Match is far from the only site to notice a jump in usage during that time. PlentyOfFish also reported a 15% spike in sign-ups, as well as a 20% boost in activity from current users during the same period.

Rachel Seliger, Community Manager for JDate.com, attributes the holiday spike to a renewed excitement about meeting new people. "This is definitely one of our busiest times of the year," she says, "and that's simply because the festive fun of the holiday season often reminds singles there is nothing better than being around those we love - that romantic relationships! Plus, we often see a big bump in membership numbers with so many people adding 'find love' to their New Year's resolutions!"

This year, along with working out, reading more, volunteering, getting organized, and spending more time with friends and family, put 'Try online dating' on your New Year's resolutions list. Like any resolution, staying on track won't always be easy, but setting the goal is the first step. Take advantage of the improved odds and maybe that midnight kiss will turn from far-off fantasy into reality.

Just please don't put up a profile picture taken in that hideous holiday sweater knitted by your grandmother. There's not enough eggnog in the world to make that pic a good choice.