Christmas can be a hard time if you’re single. It’s the end of the year and perhaps you were hoping that this Christmas would be the one that you spent with that special someone, or that you’d be introducing them to your family. There’s something about smiling families in TV adverts and couples in matching pyjamas that can make being single feel miserable, but I truly believe you can have joy at Christmas, regardless of your relationship or marital status.

Winter was a time when I felt my singleness profoundly. It seemed the romance of Christmas was everywhere, with romantic Christmas movies, dates to Christmas markets and ice rinks, cosy hot chocolates and mistletoe – and I wasn’t included. Once the romance of Christmas was over, there was the pressure of New Year. All the resolutions, the desire to find a partner that very year, the realisation that another year would begin without a kiss at midnight. One question came up repeatedly: How could I find contentment in singleness during the festive season?

As I contemplate the season of Advent, I’m aware more than ever of the importance of preparing ourselves for the good that is coming into our lives. Advent is a season of preparation ahead of the celebration of Christ’s birth and the day of His return – an expectant time, a hopeful time and a time to get ready for the love, joy and peace that is on its way. How can you prepare yourself for the love, joy and peace that’s coming your way?

When you start dating and later move into a relationship, your life will change and that means a change of mindset too. There must be a shift as you prepare your life for a new relationship – before and after you meet someone. Afterwards, there will be personal adjustments from both sides to make the shift work. The good news is there are simple things you can do to get ready for a new relationship while you are still single.

The dating world can be a lonely place, where we actually end up spending a lot of time wishing for a relationship and don’t embrace being single. The grass always seems greener on the other side. Wishing our lives were different can sometimes lead to discontentment and dissatisfaction. We can become insular and feel lonely but if we can change our attitude we can enjoy the time that we are single as it is a precious time between you and God without distractions. If we wait around to do certain things until we have a partner, we could be waiting a long time especially if God calls us to singleness! It also means that we miss out on many opportunities and exciting things in life, if we were only brave enough to do it ourselves. My advice to you would be to stop waiting, and to start doing!

We’ve all been there. You’re at a social gathering with old friends, a family reunion, or making small talk with strangers at a party. Someone asks about your love life, and then in comes the dreaded question: “Why are you still single?” Is it ever ok to ask someone that? With the exception of a deep conversation with someone you trust, the answer is no! It’s inappropriate and incredibly awkward. So how could you respond when someone drops this social no-no without warning? Here are seven suggestions…

Lent is a time where we typically give up something in order to focus more fully on God and spend time with Him, so that we can grow as Christians. Sometimes it’s food that we love (chocolate!), time spent on gaming, or something else that matters to us. We give up these things so we can focus our attention on God and listen to what He has to say – but it’s not always the most obvious things we’d benefit from laying down. If you’re single during Lent, here are a few suggestions for things you might not have thought of giving up during this time…

I have a love/hate relationship with Valentine’s Day. When I was a kid there was nothing more exciting than turning up to school on February 14th and wondering if there was an anonymous card or chocolates on my desk (this only happened once… and it turned out to be my friend playing a prank) My enthusiasm started to wane when I was 19 and finally had a boyfriend to spend the day with. I opened the door and he was standing there holding a single long-stemmed red rose. I found the whole thing so cheesy and inauthentic that the rest of the night was a disaster. Over the years I’ve come to realise that typical romantic gestures and occasions like Valentine’s Day aren’t really for me. I don’t like love hearts and candlelit dinners. God help the man who brings me roses. But I do like being single on Valentine’s Day. And here’s why…