Those who are in relationships suddenly forget what it's like to be single. Many may start to feel awkward, which makes us feel awkward, and the vicious cycle continues through all of our favorite holidays because no one is brave enough to say anything. So here it is! The Do's and Don'ts of conversing with your single friend this joyous Christmas season.
1. Don't comment on our singleness.
We're single, we get it. We joke about it. It's okay for us to comment on it, but it is certainly not okay for you to comment on it. I don't care if we're the 3rd, the 5th, or 101st wheel. Do not make a joke about it. That's our joke.
2. Do comment on our successfulness and other things going on in our lives.
Some of your friends may be making serious headway in their career or other areas of their life. Ask them about it. Congratulate them!
3. Don't humorously ask when we're getting married.
We're single. You'll get the save the date when we get the ring.
4. Do feel free to set us up.
Contrary to popular belief, we're not ALL against getting set up, but be careful about how you go about it.
5. Don't set us up out of pity.
It is SO awkward when Aunt Sally tells us she can find us a date that we might like. Please, don't scroll through your social media and check to see if you have any single friends. If you know someone already then by all means...do it. But if you have to sit and think about it because you feel sorry for us, just don't. We DON'T need a date just because it's Christmas.
6. Do share all the happy things you and your significant other are experiencing (engagement, newly wed, expecting, etc.)
We're happy for you. You don't have to keep it a secret around us especially because we already follow you on social media. It's just awkward when you're dancing around normal topics of conversation to avoid making us feel left out.
7. Don't rub it in by telling us that we'll have that eventually.
I honestly don't know whether you're trying to make us feel better or yourself. It doesn't make us feel better, so you can go ahead and just stop.
8. Do feel free to invite us to a Christmas party with all your non-single friends.
I promise you that our singleness is not a disease. You will not catch it and we will not feel left out. If we think we'll feel left out, we'll probably make up an excuse to not go anyway.
9. Don't tell us we're lucky that we don't have to buy extra gifts for an SO.
You get to go halfsies with your person to buy me one gift, but I have to buy you each a gift. Don't complain to me until you start letting me buy one gift for the both of you.
10. Do remember that our singleness doesn't define our holiday season.
Being single may be apart of this season in our lives, but it doesn't mean we're not going to enjoy this holiday. Also, singleness is not a bad thing. Let us enjoy our single holidays while we can.
Follow these simple rules and have a Merry Christmas!
