Looking at it practically, the winter months are when the happy hormone serotonin is at an all-time low, coupled with long days, depressing weather, and the pain of 9ams, means feelings of loneliness and anxiety are at an all-time high, so really it's no wonder we feel the itch to find someone to share the pain with.
To make it worse, when it comes to the lead-up to Christmas, it seems like most activities are designed for couples. Whether it's watching fireworks on Bonfire Night, wandering around Christmas markets, ice skating, or even pulling a Christmas cracker, everything seems to require two people. And though this can be done with friends and family - when Instagram feeds become filled with couples, it's hard not to feel deflated if you don't have someone.
A relationship is not just for Christmas, and in the near distant future the nights will get lighter, the days will get longer and being single will have never felt so good.
On top of this, each year at winter time we sit down and watch the same Christmas rom-coms, relaxing in the comfort of knowing the girl will end up with the guy by Christmas day and everything will work out. Although I can definitely be guilty of this with the likes of The Holiday and Love Actually, at some point after the hundredth rewatch, the idea that we must find a partner by Christmas day begins to creep in, and when we don't, we feel like a failure.
This is the first time I've been single in winter for two years, so naturally, it feels weird remembering that I have to wrap up warm because no one's going to bring me a spare jumper, and it is tempting to slip back into the warm cosiness of a relationship. But although we might crave them, we can have just as much fun with friends and save a lot of money not trying to find the perfect expensive present.
It's important to remember that although it may feel like we need to couple up and hibernate for the winter months, a relationship is not just for Christmas, and in the near distant future the nights will get lighter, the days will get longer and being single will have never felt so good.
