A lot of people think that the holiday season is depressing if they don’t have someone that they can spend it with. Instead of watching whatever is new on Netflix, snacking on leftover turkey and killing that last little bit of chardonnay, pamper yourself. Soak in the tub, get your hair cut, even accept that invitation to the ugly sweater party at your job.
Of course, you could decide that because you don’t want to spend Boxing Day alone, you could become one of the millions who join an online dating site. According to studies, activity on any given online dating site increasing an incredible 56%.
Just under half of singles of UniformDating.com say that because their normal work routine is screwed up because of the holidays, it is the perfect opportunity to start finding someone to bring the new year with. And interestingly enough, 27% of singles admit that they find flirting online after midnight is exciting.
Now, before you start wondering if you’re falling into the holiday fling syndrome, don’t worry. Hayley Quinn, a respected dating coach, explains that a fling over the holidays is more likely to last than any other time.
“Over the Christmas holidays we’re more likely to make smart romantic choices than a summer fling. Rather than prioritizing adventure, experiences and everything else that seems like a great idea after a couple of mojitos in the sun; Christmas is a time of year where we consider what’s really important to us.”
She continues: “Having a year to reflect upon, a new year to plan towards & being surrounded by our nearest and dearest will make us more ‘value orientated’. This means we’ll be looking for someone’s who’s deeply compatible with us and much more likely to last long after the Christmas lights come down. This requires work and effort and Christmas enables the time required.”
Scientists at the Florida State University have conducted research studies that prove that when romantic decisions are made in the winter, the people involved take the decision seriously. They are more apt to put real consideration into the thought and evaluate what they really want. This is because the colder weather we experience in the winter affects our brains in the area where cocktail of “love” ingredients meld together to make us want to form a serious relationship. Who knew that the neurotransmitters like oxytocin, vasopressin, and dopamine were activated by the winter?
If you think about it, when we aren’t bogged down by stress from work, we are more willing to explore the possibility of falling in love and experiencing new activities with new people.
Quinn states: “The end of the year always makes you face awkward thoughts about what you have or haven’t’ achieved this year, and what’s changed since the last. If you realize that’s a big fact zero on the dating front, then Boxing Day is the day to kick start your new year’s resolutions early.”