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It’s hard to believe how fast this year has gone, and we are officially launching the holiday season –Hannukah, Kwanza, Christmas, New Year’s and more! Here come Lifetime and Hallmark movies with happy endings.

But, the hustle and bustle of the holidays can be happy for some, and tough for others. A recent break-up. A loss of a loved one. A lonely time for some. And of course, a happy time for others.

So, as a dating coach, my clients ask me – it this a good time of year to date?

Here are some of the tips I give them:

December Is a Festive Month to Date

In December, daters, in general, are in a happy mood. Many take time off and have more flex time. Dates can swivel from the normal drinks or lunch date to walking through a Christmas market and attending holiday parties with your date. It’s funny that the things people do this time of year they wouldn’t imagine in March – ice skating, long walks in cold weather with a smile on their face!

December Can Be Too Busy to Date

On the other hand, you may be inundated with family and friend obligations, travel, shopping and other things occupying your time and find you have not time to date. Don’t over commit – enjoy this time of year however feels best to you.

So, there’s a bit of a yin/yang in #1 and #2!

Do Attend as Many Holiday Parties as You Can

As I mentioned earlier, this is a fun time of year. If someone you dated earlier in the year invites you to a party – GO! You never know who you might meet there. It’s a wonderful time to increase your social network. In my 25+ years of coaching singles, I can’t count the number of times love bloomed at a party. So, accept as many invitations as you feel comfortable going to without overdoing it.

Last year, my client Diana (64) went as “friends” with an online date to his golf club holiday party. Wouldn’t you know it, she met an acquaintance of his and the last thing I heard it was a happy relationship.

Gift-Giving: What Should I Do?

Don’t overspend! That’s an easy answer for those of you dating someone over the 4, 5, 6-month mark, right? But what if it’s a month or two, and you’d really like to show your enjoyment and appreciation of this person?

A book by an author or on subject matter you know they’d enjoy, a scarf with their favorite team’s logo, and hey, what about a nice batch of fudge or a favorite holiday sweet you enjoy making? They all show thoughtfulness and are not over the top.

Don’t Let the Season Rush You

The holidays have a way of sweeping us along a faster pace than usual; we are more social in general, etc. But that does not mean just because you started dating a man 6 weeks ago that you must introduce him to your children and family – it’s a new relationship!

It probably feels the same to you – are you ready to meet his daughters and newborn granddaughter whom he’s so excited about? There will be plenty of time for that in the New Year if things work out.

Don’t Drink Too Much

Alcohol consumption goes up by 27% during the holidays according to Pew Research. And, who wants to be slurring words on a date – or listening to your date over imbibe?

Also read, HOW TO START 2024 ALCOHOL-FREE AND FEELING AMAZING!

Do Reflect on Your Dating and Relationship Goals

I find reflecting on one’s goals a helpful practice once or twice a year. As yourself, Am I on track? Do I know what I am looking for? Am I putting the effort in? Just some food for thought as we ring in 2024 shortly.

Happy Holidays, my friends!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Are you being social this holiday season? Have you thought of this: What a great time to get some fun candid photos for your online profiles in the New Year? Is dating a New Year’s resolution?

In the spirit of the holidays, I call out to individuals 55 and over to share your wish list with Santa. Not the kind of Christmas wishes and dreams we typically hope to receive from relatives and friends.

These are the gifts that city officials, tech innovators, health care professionals, housing developers, appliance manufacturers and others could design for us, the folks growing older.

Here’s a request, Santa, it’s one that several friends and I have in common: Can we please do away with the double price for singles? Living alone bears enough financial hardship on individuals, so why do we also have to stomach a heftier price for memberships, too?

It happens with gyms, local art museums and even in group memberships like AARP. The price to join for an individual is higher than what people in shared households pay.

So, please wave your magic holiday dust, dear Santa, and fix the ‘single gouge’. Since we have terms for biases such as sexism, ageism and racism, we can call this particular bias, ‘singleism.’ Maybe singles can start a revolution. Will you help us, Santa?

Now that’s off my chest, here are ‘dear Santa’ requests from others living alone across the globe who, like me, are growing older.

More Public Transport

Dear Santa, I’m well over 60, and I want more public transit and ways to get around. My doctor tells me that I cannot drive to certain medical tests, and that I need to find someone to bring me and take me home.

While I would enjoy a driver, the restriction puts me and thousands of others in a predicament since we live alone and have no one to count on for a ride. So, Santa, can you please help us follow the doctor’s orders and find a reasonable solution?

Companion Services

Dear Santa, how about a service that vets people/drivers who offer a companion service for senior citizens? The driver companion would sit in the medical office while the patient receives the treatment.

Sure, there are home care agencies and private duty nurses, but sometimes the services charge too much. Maybe you could create an app like Nextdoor – one that includes vetting, background checks and references.

And add a banking feature that tallies the hours of the time given/donated. The more hours you give, the more hours you get when you need help.

Here’s how it could work: I give Mary a ride to the doctor’s office, and I wait. Once Mary’s home, she banks my hours. The time loads into my account. When I need help, I draw on it, and either Mary or another neighbor helps me. It’s like a shared time economy.

Technology Tutors

Dear Santa, I’m a nurse. Quite often, when trained on new software, the trainer is usually 30 years younger and doesn’t get that people my age have trouble viewing computer screens. We need at least 3 things:

• Training modules integrated into the software, including audio versions for those who learn better via hearing the instructions. Additionally, we need to follow along using a physical workbook.
• Industry-wide standards for medical records software, including terminology, plus a firm future date by which all working software must meet the standard.
• Career tracks and training for computer specialists who will be working with medical software, so they have a clue what docs and nurses are doing with patients. Please, Santa, pass this on to medical software geeks.

Professional Jobs After 50

Dear Santa, we need access to professional jobs in our fields of specialty, where we are not subject to the same performance review as younger people seeking a promotion and an executive position.

The conversation needs to change from “older workers are unqualified and lacking in skills” to “older workers have excellent skills, experience and a work ethic.”

Other countries have age 55+ professional employment policies. The U.S. has nothing except people laid off at the age of 50. Please help us, Santa. There are so many needs that older individuals have.

Read more at 60 CREATIVE WAYS TO MAKE MONEY IN RETIREMENT.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What is the one challenge you face and hope that Santa grants? Do you have any suggestions how this challenge can be fixed? Please join the conversation!