This is the date singles give up on dating for the year

Not so long ago, we hailed the arrival of cuffing season, when singles look for someone to get cosy with during the winter months.

But now, it’s going on hiatus, as a poll has found the date singletons decide to press pause on dating until the new year.

According to Match, 11 December is the date that single people decide to wait until January to start dating again.

The holidays can fill up your calendar pretty fast, so it’s little wonder we choose to wait until party season is over to get back on the hunt for love.

Almost a third (31%) of single Brits surveyed said they find the festive season gets in the way of dating, as people are too busy catching up with friends and family, and just don’t have the time.

That doesn’t mean they give up on dating altogether, as 24% believe they’ll have more success in the new year, with 13% saying that finding a partner is top of their list of new year’s resolutions.

Another logistical challenge to holiday dating is that 16% said they’ll be visiting family over the holidays, and don’t want to fall for someone who lives far away.

This is all despite the fact that 62% of singles surveyed still find Christmas the most romantic time of year – more even than Valentine’s Day – and 18% feel like the romance of the festive season is something that sparks their desire to get into a relationship in the first place.

Even though the logistics of putting yourself out there at this time of year can be a bit much, Hayley Quinn, Match’s dating expert, says it’s good to keep yourself open to meeting someone consistently throughout the year if you’d like to find a significant other.

She adds: ‘Although Christmas can feel like a huge pause for your social plans, it’s important to stay open to meeting someone during this time.

‘Whether it’s setting aside time to reply daily to people’s messages or going on a date via an in-app video call, remember, there are still ways to date if you’re away for a few weeks over this period.’

Indeed, PR exec Katie tells us that she met her partner online through a friend during the festive season in 2019, and it didn’t take long for them to hit it off.

She recalls: ‘I remember getting messages from him on Christmas day and I had major butterflies – I knew this was something different!’

They met in person for the first time at a New Year’s Eve party at Manchester’s Warehouse Project.

‘I knew he was going to the same event,’ she says, ‘but it was such a big one I didn’t feel hopeful that we would actually meet. Then he texted me saying he was right by me.

‘I spotted him and that was it, it was like fireworks. We spent the whole night dancing and it just felt right.

‘The night ended and we went separate ways. I was due to travel back to London on New Year’s Day, but he texted me saying he wanted to see me again. I travelled to his not knowing where I was going on the train, but it still felt right. I met his parents on New Year’s Day and our three-year anniversary is next month.

‘I still get the same butterflies I did when we first met.’

It’s also important to not put pressure on yourself to meet somebody at any time of the year, Christmas or otherwise.

To anyone worried about being single-shamed by family over the holidays, Hayley says: ‘If you are met with unwanted questions about “why you’re single”, remember that you don’t have to justify yourself.

‘We are all on our own timelines and falling in love isn’t a race, it’s of course about choosing the right partner for you. Instead, you can choose to answer affirmatively that you’re enjoying single life right now or change the topic to something you are passionate about.

‘Whatever you do, don’t feel like you have to explain yourself – there’s nothing lesser about being single compared to being in a relationship.’

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