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Attention, singles: If you don't want to spend any more silent nights during the holidays, read on.
It's a quasi-survival guide to riding out the Christmas season -- the do's and don'ts of singledom.
One of the first do's, according to dating coach Lori Miller, is to accept as many invitations to holiday parties as possible.
"Never turn down an invitation," said the dating expert with Lavalife, an online dating service. "It's a great time of year because there's so much going on."
Tag along at other office parties and network with everyone, not just the opposite sex, she added, since a potential partner may be just an introduction away.
Though traffic at one of Canada's largest online dating sites is normally steady all year, Miller said they experience a 20% spike between Boxing Day and March -- just after singles have returned home for the holidays and relatives pressure them about their marital status.
Singles are also counting down to New Year's Eve, when couples the world over perform the age-old tradition of locking lips at the stroke of midnight. But to impose a deadline on yourself is a mistake, Miller said.
"It can be a lot of pressure to find a New Year's date," Miller said. "I recommend instead of trying to find 'The One,' get out, enjoy time with friends and family."
That's exactly what Pamela Greene, 25, intends to do. The "off-and-on-again" singleton said she refuses to succumb to the pressures of dating, though this year marks the first time she'll be spending New Year's without a significant other.
"I enjoy life, dating random people. This time of year I'm focusing on family, friends, not being pressured to find a boyfriend."
If you're in the throes of an early relationship, don't go too far when it comes to gift-giving, Miller warns.
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