This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s fall editorial intern Jess Newman. Find her on Instagram at @_jess_n_. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
The holidays can be a very hard time of year for some. With the heavy focus on family and loved ones, it’s very easy to fall into the trap of feeling lonely or that everyone is with the love of their life. It doesn’t have to be that way. I’m here to share with you how to be single during the holidays!
Decorate
First and foremost, lights! Lights make me happy no matter what time of year it is. I always have white fairy lights in my room regardless of the time of year it is. I love adding garland and lights everywhere I can, to the point that I don’t need regular lights on to see at night. Pro-tip: you can buy strings of lights on sale when Christmas ends for cheap from Walmart, Target, Lowes, etc. From there you can add any other decor you would like. I love finding decor at Dollar Tree and Five Below if you’re on a budget.
Music
Music is a must! I love my Christmas playlist so much! I’m not a fan of the typical overplayed classics. My favorite Christmas songs are by Aly & AJ, the Cheetah Girls, Jesse McCartney, Hilary Duff and Sabrina Carpenter. If worst comes to worst and nothing is helping you get in the holiday spirit you can always listen to songs that hate on Christmas like “is it New Year’s yet?” by Sabrina Carpenter and “Not This Year” by Aly & AJ.
Go see lights
My favorite activity during Christmas is looking at lights. If the weather permits, I love taking my dogs on walks around the neighborhood and looking at all the different light displays. It’s a fun way to get out of the house and get my steps in at the same time! If the weather is too cold or the light display is too far away, you can always jump in the car and go for a drive. The one good thing that came from the pandemic is that there are a lot of drive-thru light displays that cost little to nothing. There are no rules against bringing animals, so go pick up your favorite drink and a pup cup to drive through the lights If you do end up taking your pet, try to get their reaction to the lights on video. It’s the most precious thing ever!
Baking
I’m a sucker for baked goods. I will use any excuse to whip up some cookies. For me, a lot of my core memories are linked to foods and there are specific recipes my family would make every year. These recipes are so important that my mom has made them all vegan for me and the rest of my family was none the wiser. My favorite recipe ever is “Christmas Bark” and it’s so good I only make it at Christmas in an attempt to not get sick of it. It’s caramel crackers topped with melted chocolate which is then frozen and broken up into pieces. If you want something more traditional you can always start with salted chocolate chip cookies!
Sales
The fun of being single on the holidays is saving money on gifts you don’t need to buy. All the money you would’ve spent on your significant other, you can spend on yourself! Black Friday, Cyber Monday and all the last-minute Christmas sales are a perfect way to treat yourself without breaking the bank!
Holiday Photoshoot
Growing up, every year my family would take pictures for the Christmas card. This tradition has evolved into a photoshoot for posting on socials. If you have a pet, it’s always fun to include them. Last year, I got my girl pups matching sweaters and our golden boy wore the Santa hat. Those photos are memories I will always cherish.
Most important of all is to be present! Feel all of your emotions and try not to dwell on the things you can’t control. Remember that all the pictures you see on socials don’t tell the whole story. You can always try one of the activities I mentioned above or make your own solo holiday traditions!
Do you have any better ideas of how to be single during the holidays? Share them!
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