Happy Thursday, everyone and a special happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow US followers. No matter what the year has brought each us with the ups and downs of life, we all have so much to be thankful for both in our personal lives and as a nation.

As I was reading one of my fellow bloggers posts this week at Outstanding Bachelor, I was reminded how easy it is for single people to feel the need to find romance during the holiday season. It can seem as if the whole world is happily coupled as we sit at the Thanksgiving table and get ready to decorate for the holidays. The world appears to be filled with winter magic spreading  love and romance everywhere. Ah, such is the stuff of Hollywood movies and greeting cards.

Love and romance are indeed a great part of this time of the year. The secret is we aren’t random recipients of the magical holiday feeling, we are the creators.  If we take the time to pour out love to everyone around us and create romance in our lives by paying attention to how we go about our daily rituals, with or without a mate the spirit of the season will find us and feel our heart with joy.

Here are some ideas to help cultivate a loving and romantic holiday season.

Make it a priority to spread love and joy this holiday season to whom ever is already in your life. We often take for granted those we see everyday. When we treat our family, friends, and coworkers as special blessings in our lives, the world around us seems to be transformed into a more beautiful and loving place

Make your home life special. Decorate you home for the holidays, cook special meals, and watch those holiday movies that make us so happy. Light the candles and play great music. In other words romance yourself.

Make it a point to connect with friends and indulge in special activities that fill you with that holiday spirit. There is no reason to wait for a “special someone” to go on a winter sleigh ride or attend a concert. You already have plenty of special people in your life. Just look around you.

Volunteer your time to organizations who serve those in true need and feel especially vulnerable and lonely this time of the year. The sick, elderly, and homeless are all in great need. Bring love to those who can not repay your kindness.

Create new holiday traditions to spice up your holiday routines and fit your single lifestyle. If you are short on ideas, look up traditions from around the world. Maybe as a variation of Santa Lucia day in Sweden you could surprise neighbors, coworkers or friends with coffee and pastries. Santa Lucia day is on December 13th but you could choose whatever day works for you and your schedule.

Get out where people are mingling. Movie theaters and restaurants are usually open on major holidays. Smile and greet people you come into contact with. Wish them a happy holiday.

Drop the fantasy. Often we put way too much emphasis on holidays and create unrealistic expectations of what a holiday should look and feel like. Movies are fantasy. The past is gone. The people around us everyday are what is real. Single or married, we often have unrealistic expectations for the season. Don’t get caught in the illusion of a perfect holiday, embrace the reality that you create the opportunities for cultivating and sharing love in your life.

As always, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for stopping by the blog. 🙂

Until next time,

Laura