Man Makes 'Single Christmas Cards' To Let Friends And Family Know He's Still Not Married
A reminder to embrace whatever phase of life you're in.
4 PM production / Shutterstock People love to think of the holiday season as a time for relationships and marriages to flourish, but others want to normalize the idea of romanticizing their solitude during the holidays and every other season.
A man took to TikTok to show off his ‘single Christmas cards.’
In his video, Dalton Smiley shared how his single status and Southern heritage combined to create an open forum for anyone and everyone to bug him about coupling up. He took to TikTok to share that he was “sick and tired" of it. He explained that in the Southern U.S., it’s traditional for people to get married at a young age, but revealed he had no interest in marrying anyone anytime soon.
“When you live in the South it’s like, if you're not married at 18, there's a problem,” Smiley said. “And I wanted to clear the air by Christmas so I found the perfect solution.”
Smiley then revealed a box filled with not just any Christmas cards, but his very own ‘single’ Christmas cards.
The card showed Smiley holding and kissing his dog, Franklin, accompanied by the phrase, “Another (Not) Married Christmas.”
While Christmas cards traditionally picture families and couples, Smiley decided to intentionally show off his indifference to marriage by sending his family and friends Christmas cards of him happily single with his beloved furry companion.
“The Christmas card answers any question you may have,” Smiley expressed enthusiastically. “Am I married? No. Am I going to get married? No ... maybe, not now.”
Photo holiday cards should not be exclusive to families and couples.
Because, c’mon, we all would love to see more photos of our friends and their sweet pups, especially during the holiday season.
Photo: JulNichols / Canva Pro
In today’s generation, with the prevalance of Imposter Syndrome, it’s important to embrace your own individual path and not feel coerced into rushing to certain chapters or steps. It’s okay to focus on the present moment and be grateful for it, despite what everyone else is doing.
The idea of sending out single Christmas cards brings a community of people together to share their love for themselves, their pets, and their friends, eliminating the stereotype of needing to find love by a certain age and follow the traditional married-with-kids-family expectations.
People showed their love and support for this contemporary Christmas card idea in the comments.
“Not gonna lie, I would squeal with excitement if I got a card like this! I’d be absolutely thrilled,” one person shared.
“As a single gal, I APPROVE!!!” another commenter expressed. “This is AMAZING!!!!! I need to do this next year!!”
Others resonated with Smiley, sharing how they too have sent out Christmas cards of them with their dogs. “I did Christmas cards with just me and my dog for years before I got married,” someone commented.
The holidays can feel lonely for those who are not in relationships and don’t have kids, but it’s okay to be single.
It can be an opportunity to find love for yourself in this phase of your life, whether you are married and have kids, or not. The concept of family and the foundation of love can look different for everyone, and it’s a lovely idea to normalize diverse lifestyles and preferences.
Embracing one’s solitude and showing that off can also help others feel less alone during this season.
Photo: Roman Samborskyi / Shutterstock
A lot of people can be hard on themselves for feeling unlovable. Receiving numerous cards in the mail that only show happy families and couples can make it even more difficult to appreciate a different path.
But the heart of the matter is, that sending Christmas cards is meant to share your Christmas spirit and cheer with the ones you love. No one ever said they were reserved for married couples and families only.
Hold space in your life to have love and empathy for yourself, and don't be afraid to show your loved ones how happy you are on your own.
Francesca Duarte is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team based in Orlando, FL. She covers lifestyle, human-interest, and spirituality topics.