Single Person's Holiday Survival Guide: Your tips!

[arwen83]

I found the article below from SingleRoots.com on tips for singles during christmas and new years. I am also wondering: Do you have any tips for singles, or what you do to keep you from feeling lonely during the holidays?

________________________________________________________________________________

How can you survive the holidays while single? Sigh. Isn’t that the question of the hour?
Part of me reads that sentence and thinks self-righteously, “That’s probably the title of a pathetic self-help book.” Then another part of me desperately wants to know what important advice I might be missing.

The songs and stores are telling us it’s the most wonderful time of the year – and it is – but it can also be a time of the year we approach with a certain degree of trepidation.
Every non-married person over the age of 22 has been at the family Christmas gathering when a random relative hits you with the inevitable questions, horrible assumptions, and inappropriate comments about your single status.
Oh the choices of witty and/or biting responses we’d love to use in those awkward moments. But instead, we smile graciously, make some excuse as to why our love lives aren’t quite up to par, and flee the scene of interrogation.
So, how do we do it? How do we make the holidays okay—maybe even fun—in the midst of potential awkwardness and embarrassment? While there’s no easy answer, here are my two (or four) cents:
1. It’s okay to be a little lonely.
Let’s face it: The holidays can be a difficult time to be alone. Between Christmas love songs and mistletoe around every corner, there are constant reminders that the holidays are meant to be shared with loved ones. Feeling sad that you don’t have anyone to kiss at midnight on New Year’s Eve is okay.
2. It’s not okay to sit at home and mope about it.
Celebrating the holidays, single or not, is vital. A few years back, when I was living in downtown Dallas, my group of friends decided to have an Urban Family Thanksgiving Dinner the week of the holiday. We invited a number of people, mostly single and a few marrieds, and enjoyed a wonderful time celebrating the season. This comfortable gathering was the perfect way to put us in the holiday spirit. While holiday events may be difficult at times, my guess is you will also find joy in celebrating the birth of Christ with loved ones at this special time of year.
3. Debrief with someone when/if needed.
This person can be your BFF, sibling, or a random stranger. But, bottom line, the holidays may take a toll on your emotions, for better or worse. It doesn’t have to be someone who totally understands where you’re coming from, although that would be nice. It just needs to be someone who will listen and allow you to process your thoughts and feelings.
4. Remember what’s important.
I realize this sounds trite, but it’s essential. Specifically, Christmas is first and foremost about celebrating the birth of our Savior, and the holidays should be about sharing love with friends and family. If this remains your primary focus, it should make everything else a bit easier.

 

[Nautilus]

I just go out on the town...

 

[error]

First of all- arwen83, I really like that picture. I guess I like that dress and her hair. That is what I like to do on Christmas. Dress up nice.

I never feel lonely on Christmas or NY. I might be single-but i have friends and family. Some ppl even don't have a family...which is really sad.

Yes, my family ask me (sometimes) these 'nice' questions. But i don't mind. I will let thm know whn to shut up.

My advice to you-no matter what you do on Christmas-it is better to not stay alone at home. Get together with your family or friends. Maybe even co-workers.

 

[Tommy4Christ]

I just pray the churches would wake upon this crowded religious holiday, and preach the truth, it breaks my heart to see so many who profess Christ, or those who just visit a church on certian holidays,come to these churches and then hear this message:

CONFESS OR REPENT!​

​

Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;​

​

Quote from most ministries today:​

​

“When a person confesses the fact that he is a sinner and acknowledges Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, his spirit is reborn”.​

​

This seems to be the biggest obstacle to get over in the professing Christian world today. To them this confession is equivalent to repentance, and admitting you are a depraved sinner is more humbling than forsaking your evil ways, stop sinning then seek the mercy of God, such as the city of Nineveh did. This is a glaring example of what Christianity has become, where there is no clearing or accountability before God, you come to Him on your perceived notions of mere men, then receive the Holy Spirit of God through a confession over stopping and clearing of any wrong doing. Thus a still defiled and double minded convert receives the Holy Spirit! You had better be sure before you call those who teach otherwise heretics, false teachers and worse.
Jesus and His devout followers clearly preached repentance unto life, they preaches the sin stops in repentance or the heart hardens, they preached go and sin no more, not go and sin some more, they preached depart from iniquity, pluck it out, cast it away, forsake it( kill it), cut it off at the root, cut it off and out, strive to bloodshed in STOPPING the sin if need be, he who sins is of the devil, crucify(kill)your flesh with Him, walk in newness of life, the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom, and many more powerful warnings that totally contradict this just confess, acknowledge, accept, then you are reborn and eternally saved.
Please note, that there are some verses that seem to imply that all’s a sinner needs to do is confess and accept Jesus to be saved, but you can also use scripture to try and prove murder is ok, or that the sky is pink etc., but this has no influence what so ever on the ones who dig deep, compare spiritual with spiritual, not a snippet here and a snippet there, to try and prove their doctrines are correct.
Here are just a few verses that clearly contradict the saved IN sin, confess and accept message, as all through scripture from Genesis to Revelation, the word is clear:
Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jas 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Psa 18:20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
Psa 18:21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
Luk 13:23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Isa 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Jer 26:13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.
Luk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Luk 9:25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

There are many more powerful scriptures that go against this just confess and you are in formula to salvation, many will say to confess is all that is needed, as to them to confess means you make a mental commitment to stop the rebellion against God, which is a part of repentance, but they go no further.
But IF you compare word to word, and make sure the scriptures harmonize together, you can clearly see a huge contradiction in the confess and accept way to the cross verses the repent and obey way to the cross!
You cannot be wrong on this, either the word is in great compromise or you are!
Dig deep as Jesus warned, build your foundation on solid ground, not sinking sand as the modern teachers and ministries teach today.
The confess and accept way to the cross is why Christianity is in the state it’s in today, where its normal for professing Christians to be walking in the darkness and light at the same time, to be a vile sinner, then blame their sin nature on their folly, to blame God they were created evil, or even that His he created them to be a homosexual. This teaching is producing a world gone mad, a church that has become the laughing stock of the world, where few are coming to a saving faith because the preachers and ministers are teaching this confess and accept plan, instead of repent, obey, and follow Jesus plan, that saves you out of your sin, coming broken and useful to be used by the master, clear and free from all know vile and rebellious sins against God. That He commanded you in the first place to forsake, and stop, before He would relent and consider any forgiveness and pardon of wrong doing!
Now the word of God makes sense, the word comes alive as we become accountable to it, it becomes our bread of life, our anchor, and rock of salvation, as we strive to walk the pure and holy life God has granted to us, giving us all we need In His son, to walk a blameless live, overcoming the world, the lies coming out of the churches, and the snare of the devil, who boldly proclaims all you have to is just confess you sin, then accept Jesus, then you are saved and filled with the sprit! I wish it was this simple, but Jesus made it crystal clear, FEW of the FEW will be saved, so strive to enter, repent and forsake all known rebellious sin against God, and receive with meekness the implanted word that can save your soul!
Pro 28:13 He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.
Tommy 12-5-12

PS. Being a true follower of Christ isn’t about joining a church to your liking, getting saved IN you sins through this confession formula, then spending the rest of your Christian life learning how the word of God doesn’t apply to you, no its about purity, sincerity and love,, obeying God from your heart, keeping His commands, and following Jesus example on the narrow road, you die to sin and rebellion once and for all in repentance!

 

[Ugly]

I don't need any special tips. Half the time i'm so oblivious, i'm hardly aware of the holiday encroaching. Such as last Thanksgiving. I was at a doctors appointment and the nurse there asked 'Do you have any plans tomorrow?', in which i responded (in all sincerity) 'What's tomorrow?'. She looked at me like i was an idiot and said 'Thanksgiving' .. i said 'oh..... thats tomorrow?'. So yeah, i think i'm pretty safe to survive the holiday haha.

 

[seoulsearch]

Surviving the holidays? Bah humbug!! Just give me a stuffed Grinch doll and plate of cookies and no one will get hurt. No problem.

Surviving hellfire and damnation posts?

I might need a little help with that one. (Perhaps I should dare to ask for a fire extinguisher for Christmas. Yes. I realize that's probably a very heathen thing to do--asking for something for Christmas--shame on me.)

 

[zaoman32]

All I have to do is walk to the nearest restaurant and I'll have dates for the next two weeks.

Just let me eat in peace women!

 

[arwen83]

All I have to do is walk to the nearest restaurant and I'll have dates for the next two weeks.

Just let me eat in peace women!

Man, does it work on men as well? You gotta tell me your secrets!

 

[seoulsearch]

All I have to do is walk to the nearest restaurant and I'll have dates for the next two weeks.

Just let me eat in peace women!

Of course, what Zaoman means is, he'll be having a lot of dates because he ordered the deluxe fruit plate... with extra dates.

C'mon, Zao. You could at least share.

 

[zaoman32]

Of course, what Zaoman means is, he'll be having a lot of dates because he ordered the deluxe fruit plate... with extra dates.

C'mon, Zao. You could at least share.

That might be believable if I wasn't a carnivore.

 

[pinkstix56]

My survival tips for Christmas and Thanskgiving

1. Celebrating God, because He's awesome
2. Celebrating God, and eating my favorite foods until I'm stuffed
3. Taking a nap after eating so much
4. Enjoying my singleness and those who love me

 

[Descyple]

Here are my tips for surviving Christmas while single:

1. Play one-player Scrabble (I almost always win when I play that version)

2. Eat an overwhelming amount of chocolate on Christmas Eve (you'll spend all night and Christmas morning throwing up, and nothing makes time pass faster than extreme, non-stop chocolate-induced vomiting). And you'll get to see what regurgitated chocolate looks like (that will be your gift to yourself!!!)

3. Secretly lay down a layer of glue on the roof of your house, so when Santa's sleigh rests on your home, the reindeer get stuck there all night and Santa won't be able to deliver his gifts (hey, if your Christmas is going to be spoiled, you may as well spoil everyone else's).

4. Rent the movie "It's A Wonderful Life" but stop the movie right before the song "Auld Lang Syne" at the end of the movie. That way, you will have something heart-warming to watch for next year's Christmas!

5. Two words - Naked Snowboarding (What??? Are you telling me that sport only exists in Canada???)

 

[Liamson]

The most annoying thing about the holidays is the obligation.

Do this, come to this party. Its not like you have any family or anything.

 

[Chrissy77]

Here are my tips for surviving Christmas while single:

1. Play one-player Scrabble (I almost always win when I play that version)

2. Eat an overwhelming amount of chocolate on Christmas Eve (you'll spend all night and Christmas morning throwing up, and nothing makes time pass faster than extreme, non-stop chocolate-induced vomiting). And you'll get to see what regurgitated chocolate looks like (that will be your gift to yourself!!!)

3. Secretly lay down a layer of glue on the roof of your house, so when Santa's sleigh rests on your home, the reindeer get stuck there all night and Santa won't be able to deliver his gifts (hey, if your Christmas is going to be spoiled, you may as well spoil everyone else's).

4. Rent the movie "It's A Wonderful Life" but stop the movie right before the song "Auld Lang Syne" at the end of the movie. That way, you will have something heart-warming to watch for next year's Christmas!

5. Two words - Naked Snowboarding (What??? Are you telling me that sport only exists in Canada???)

And I we wonder why they have your picture at the post office? lol

 

[Jullianna]

[Chrissy, at least now we know what Descyple aka Hotcakes is doing in his photo in the Brotherhood of the Incredibly Hot calendar. ]


What I do depends upon my mood at any given time.


If it's snowing and cold outside, I'm perfectly happy to snuggle up in a quilt, drink hot chocolate or mulled wine and watch movies or read a new book. Maybe even go outside and play in the snow.


If I want to be around people, I will cook a LOT of food and invite a bunch of people over, as other singles are in the same boat.


If it's just my son and I, we like to exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, drive around looking at Christmas lights, make tons of pancakes and bacon on Christmas morning and go see a new movie. I would think, if you don't have kids, you could do the same with a single friend.

 

[Descyple]

And I we wonder why they have your picture at the post office? lol

For your information Chrissy, putting up my picture at the post office was the idea of my modeling agency. They said it would give me more publicity. I am sure they meant that in a good way (you don't think they meant for me to get arrested, do you???). I guess jealously from other male-models is what I will just have to live with!!!

 

[Descyple]

[Chrissy, at least now we know what Descyple aka Hotcakes is doing in his photo in the Brotherhood of the Incredibly Hot calendar.

Don't give away the prize before the calendar is distributed, Julianna!!! - lol.

 

[Chrissy77]

For your information Chrissy, putting up my picture at the post office was the idea of my modeling agency. They said it would give me more publicity. I am sure they meant that in a good way (you don't think they meant for me to get arrested, do you???). I guess jealously from other male-models is what I will just have to live with!!!

You have such a rough life,lol.

 

[Ritter]

I just pray the churches would wake upon this crowded religious holiday, and preach the truth, it breaks my heart to see so many who profess Christ, or those who just visit a church on certian holidays,come to these churches and then hear this message:

CONFESS OR REPENT!​

Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;​

Quote from most ministries today:​

“When a person confesses the fact that he is a sinner and acknowledges Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, his spirit is reborn”.​

This seems to be the biggest obstacle to get over in the professing Christian world today. To them this confession is equivalent to repentance, and admitting you are a depraved sinner is more humbling than forsaking your evil ways, stop sinning then seek the mercy of God, such as the city of Nineveh did. This is a glaring example of what Christianity has become, where there is no clearing or accountability before God, you come to Him on your perceived notions of mere men, then receive the Holy Spirit of God through a confession over stopping and clearing of any wrong doing. Thus a still defiled and double minded convert receives the Holy Spirit! You had better be sure before you call those who teach otherwise heretics, false teachers and worse.
Jesus and His devout followers clearly preached repentance unto life, they preaches the sin stops in repentance or the heart hardens, they preached go and sin no more, not go and sin some more, they preached depart from iniquity, pluck it out, cast it away, forsake it( kill it), cut it off at the root, cut it off and out, strive to bloodshed in STOPPING the sin if need be, he who sins is of the devil, crucify(kill)your flesh with Him, walk in newness of life, the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom, and many more powerful warnings that totally contradict this just confess, acknowledge, accept, then you are reborn and eternally saved.
Please note, that there are some verses that seem to imply that all’s a sinner needs to do is confess and accept Jesus to be saved, but you can also use scripture to try and prove murder is ok, or that the sky is pink etc., but this has no influence what so ever on the ones who dig deep, compare spiritual with spiritual, not a snippet here and a snippet there, to try and prove their doctrines are correct.
Here are just a few verses that clearly contradict the saved IN sin, confess and accept message, as all through scripture from Genesis to Revelation, the word is clear:
Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jas 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Psa 18:20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
Psa 18:21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
Luk 13:23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Isa 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Jer 26:13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.
Luk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Luk 9:25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

There are many more powerful scriptures that go against this just confess and you are in formula to salvation, many will say to confess is all that is needed, as to them to confess means you make a mental commitment to stop the rebellion against God, which is a part of repentance, but they go no further.
But IF you compare word to word, and make sure the scriptures harmonize together, you can clearly see a huge contradiction in the confess and accept way to the cross verses the repent and obey way to the cross!
You cannot be wrong on this, either the word is in great compromise or you are!
Dig deep as Jesus warned, build your foundation on solid ground, not sinking sand as the modern teachers and ministries teach today.
The confess and accept way to the cross is why Christianity is in the state it’s in today, where its normal for professing Christians to be walking in the darkness and light at the same time, to be a vile sinner, then blame their sin nature on their folly, to blame God they were created evil, or even that His he created them to be a homosexual. This teaching is producing a world gone mad, a church that has become the laughing stock of the world, where few are coming to a saving faith because the preachers and ministers are teaching this confess and accept plan, instead of repent, obey, and follow Jesus plan, that saves you out of your sin, coming broken and useful to be used by the master, clear and free from all know vile and rebellious sins against God. That He commanded you in the first place to forsake, and stop, before He would relent and consider any forgiveness and pardon of wrong doing!
Now the word of God makes sense, the word comes alive as we become accountable to it, it becomes our bread of life, our anchor, and rock of salvation, as we strive to walk the pure and holy life God has granted to us, giving us all we need In His son, to walk a blameless live, overcoming the world, the lies coming out of the churches, and the snare of the devil, who boldly proclaims all you have to is just confess you sin, then accept Jesus, then you are saved and filled with the sprit! I wish it was this simple, but Jesus made it crystal clear, FEW of the FEW will be saved, so strive to enter, repent and forsake all known rebellious sin against God, and receive with meekness the implanted word that can save your soul!
Pro 28:13 He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.
Tommy 12-5-12

PS. Being a true follower of Christ isn’t about joining a church to your liking, getting saved IN you sins through this confession formula, then spending the rest of your Christian life learning how the word of God doesn’t apply to you, no its about purity, sincerity and love,, obeying God from your heart, keeping His commands, and following Jesus example on the narrow road, you die to sin and rebellion once and for all in repentance!

Derail. Crash. Burn.

 

[Nautilus]

Go to bars and restaurants and meet the other equally lonely women who had to work so couldnt go home to their families? Bring them presents?