Suggestions for dealing with holiday-related social events?
Posted : 23 Nov, 2009 07:11 AM
OK, I just sent in my first RSVP of the season for a Christmas Banquet where I teach. The invitation said: "You and your family or a guest are invited to attend..." The "number attending" on the RSVP form I sent in: 1. (I don't think they would take too kindly to my mom and sisters attending with me!) This event isn't mandatory, but attendance is very strongly encouraged. And I'm 99% sure that I'll be the only single person at this event.
So, what do you all do to deal with events like this? Does it not bother you at all? Do you just go and enjoy the food and pretend that you don't care that you are alone? Do you avoid events? What other strategies do you have?
Here are a few things I do: 1) I only go to those events that I have to go to, 2) while I'm at the event, I smile and act like I'm enjoying it so that I don't dampen the festive mood, 3) if a family with kids is in attendance (depends on the event, of course), I sit with that family and entertain the kids so the parent can enjoy their evening, 4) I sit with an older couple or with a couple who is new to the community.
Suggestions for dealing with holiday-related social events?
Posted : 5 Dec, 2009 10:33 PM
Well tonight I just went to my first Christmas home fellowship gathering. The host couple had of course 99.99% couples in attendance, with wouldn't you know one "single" person there... ME. It wasn't really awkward until.... they had to play this version of "Newlyweds game", you know where the men are asked a set of questions about their wives, and the wives take a guess at giving the answer, and vice versa, the men had to do the same. Well that was most exhilerating for me, can't you imagine. Here I am even being the moderator facilitating one portion of the segment.
We were supposedly going to play a "singles" game, that is gaming for the couples, singles, and kids. Well we did a little of everything except the "singles" component. :zzzz:
It was a scheduled 4 hour event so you can imagine a most entertaining time for me! I resolved myself once I saw that everyone was mostly married, or girlfriend/boyfriend connected, I knew just to sit back, relax, and let God use me however he intended for this evening, and He did.
The couple was very glad I came. We shared food, fun and fellowship. Couple of the ladies commented to me that I had a very "lovely spirit" while another said "my company was so enjoyable". I got to help out where needed, so I served some purpose without me thinking throughout the whole night, "woe is me, I'm alone.
It can feel lonely sometime going it alone, but I've always known how to make the best of it, and now I've gotten to the place with any event that I just say "Lord, ok, use me however you want to". Being in anticipation as to how God wants me to glorify Him through this time alone has helped me in almost every situation. It ain't easy, but it's doable as I walk through it.
