How many times have you heard that Mariah Carey song? Yeah, I'm talking about that song. It's inescapable during the month of December each year, and if you're like me, you've probably heard it hundreds, if not thousands, of times in your life. It's to a point where the actual meaning of the song is almost irrelevant to me. Since I've heard it so many times, I don't even really process the words when listening to it. However, when I actually sit down and think about it, I realize that even though I like the song and deem it a Christmas anthem, it really doesn't speak to me. Unlike Mariah, all I want for Christmas is not "you." I'm very much enjoying being single -- even during the month of mistletoe.
Since when did Christmas become so linked to romantic love? Was it after years of us collectively watching and re-watchingLove Actually and Elf (guilty!)? Is Mariah and her holiday ballad to blame? Regardless of the cause, I'd like to propose that this year we also appreciate the benefits of being a single person and celebrating the holidays as one. Here are three reasons why being unattached is awesome.
1. You can dedicate your free time to literally whatever you want.
Want to spent 3 hours at a museum? No problem. Want to go to the gym 5-6 days each week? Go for it. Want to take a class on auto mechanics? It's all yours. When you're single, there's no one else you have to factor into your schedule. You can choose whichever activities sound fun to you, whether that's a new hobby, lots of exercise, or just a bunch of beauty rest. When you're a couple, you owe it to your significant other to spend time with them and attend to their needs. While that is great it its own way, it's also great to have the freedom to do whatever it is that'll make YOU happy.
2. You can try out all of the crazy dating apps (or use none at all).
It's no surprise that when you have a boyfriend or girlfriend, it's generally not okay to use dating apps. But come on, there are a million of them. So much so that there was even a map of the most popular in each state made (the #1 app in CA is Coffee Meets Bagel, by the way). With so many options, how can you not be curious? When I was in a relationship, part of me still wanted to download them all and just see what they were like, who I would match with, and if anyone I knew was on there. When you're single, you have the freedom to download any and all dating apps if you want to. Or you can download none. The choice is entirely yours when you're single.
3. There’s no conflict or awkwardness about where you’ll celebrate the holidays.
This applies to more than just the end-of-the-year holidays. When you've been seeing someone for a while, that typically means including their family in the big events -- holidays, birthdays, graduations, etc. Unless you have one of those this-can't-be-real situations where both families seamlessly get along and are able to do things altogether, it can be difficult to navigate the instances where you have to choose where to celebrate events and with whose family. When you are unattached, you can spend your holidays and otherwise wherever and whenever you want. There's no in-law diplomacy needed. All you've got to deal with is your own family's antics (which you've got years of experience doing anyway).
Here's the thing: Being single is great, but so is being in a relationship. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks. None of what's written here is to say that being single is superior to being in a relationship -- quite the opposite. This simply serves as a reminder to the single folks that their lifestyle is just as good as those of coupled folks, just in different ways.
Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health, says science
women in street dancing
Photo by 
man and woman standing in front of louver door
Photo by 
man in black t-shirt holding coca cola bottle
Photo by 
red and white coca cola signage
Photo by 
man holding luggage photo
Photo by 
topless boy in blue denim jeans riding red bicycle during daytime
Photo by 
trust spelled with wooden letter blocks on a table
Photo by 
Everyone is Welcome signage
Photo by 
man with cap and background with red and pink wall l
Photo by 
difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations desk decor
Photo by 
photography of woman pointing her finger near an man
Photo by 
closeup photography of woman smiling
Photo by 
a man doing a trick on a skateboard
Photo by 
two men 
running man on bridge
Photo by 
orange white and black bag
Photo by 
girl sitting on gray rocks
Photo by 
assorted-color painted wall with painting materials
Photo by 
three women sitting on brown wooden bench
Photo by 
Photo by 
Photo by 
Photo by 
Photo by 
people sitting on chair in front of computer
