Single for the Holidays

Happy Holidays!

What do you do when you don’t have a special someone to stand under the mistletoe with? I don’t know what you do, but I walk around with a mistletoe in my pocket hoping it will be the perfect tool for breaking the ice as I say with all witticism “you know they say kissing is the language of love…wanna have a conversation?” Now listen up my single friends, you gotta take the mistletoe with you! Because standing around under a mistletoe waiting for someone to come along is just socially awkward! And if you know me, smooth is my middle name.

Okay random side note here: I just went and started making a cup of coffee so I could feel like the stereotypical blogger who drinks coffee while blogging, then thought about writing some clever line about how I was drinking coffee while blogging. But rather, I chose to be honest with you about my true intentions to feel cool because truth be told, smooth is the middle name of my 5th cousin thrice removed, and he’s adopted. Now I am thinking how this paragraph has no connection to being the single sibling…but wait it does! If I wasn’t single my husband might have made coffee for me which would have made this conversation flow much smoother. But then again, if I was married drinking coffee that my husband made me while blogging, he would probably be anxious as he observed while handing me my coffee that I am a writing a blog titled “Single for the Holidays” 

Thus then, because I am single for the holidays and my hypothetical husband mentioned above is getting the boot, I would like to talk a little bit about what it’s like to be the single sibling during the holidays. Being single for the holidays is nothing new. However, being the single sibling is. And as the single sibling still living at home, the holidays provide an interesting and unique experience. Although my siblings live close and do the holidays with us, there is something different about it this year. Maybe it’s the fact that on thanksgiving day I spent the evening whipping my parents at Scrabble. Maybe it’s the fact that there are only three stockings on the wall. Maybe it’s because when we went and picked out our tree it only took 2 minutes. As we hear songs and watch movies, I realize that our society makes holidays about more than gifts; it makes it about who you are with.

Just take a moment to think about how many jewelers make commercials this time of year, persuading you to buy something nice for that special someone in your life. How often do do you see a christmas commercial or movie that doesn’t have some big romance plot to it? And for the love of American cheese, the Hallmark movies! I mean come on – who wants 12 days of that? Now I am not saying all of that is bad, in fact it’s sometimes nice to see. Except the Hallmark movies…I could do without those. (I do have many  friends who do enjoy them, so if you are reading please know that I do love you, I just question your taste in entertainment. If it meant spending time with you, I would gladly watch them as long as is was OK to laugh). Through all of this, and being the single sibling, I could wonder if I’ll ever have that special someone. 

I realize something though, I get to spend my holidays with two of the most significant people in my life. The past few weeks of celebrating and doing the traditions with just the three of us has been spectacular. I have an opportunity not many get. You see my parents aren’t just my parents. They’re my amazing roommates and two of my best friends. Doing life with them is a blessing. I am sure one day if I have my own family I will cherish those times, but with a different perspective. And I know that if I don’t cherish these times I am in now, when those days come I’ll be wishing I had. These holiday times are when I can fully enjoy the traditions with my parents without the stresses that come with having to plan things out with in-laws and my own family. So in the next few weeks I encourage you, if you are single find those significant people in your life, and be a gift to them.  If you’re married, be a blessing to your family. Don’t get overworked about the stresses of the holidays because even if something goes wrong this year you always have next year. You don’t get to relive moments though, so cherish them.  

So readers, for this holiday season I am going to live abundantly. I am going to cherish this new experience with my parents. I will not be walking around with a mistletoe in my pocket. And come new years eve, when everyone is embracing their loved one for that traditional new year’s kiss, I will be looking for my parents, because I can’t wait to see what 2017 holds for the single sibling.

-Anna Bailey