I know, it’s been a rough year. The global pandemic has changed everything. But this is traditionally the season when we all start to settle down with someone for the winter, and why should Covid stop us having any fun?
Whenever I head home for Christmas to see my family, I always try an squeeze in two different things. The first is lunch (or at least coffee) with an old friend from school. The second is a date of some kind. Usually I start looking around for a date towards the end of November. I change my location on dating apps and websites and then see if anyone interesting is about!
I know that it seems like a strange thing to do. Going on a date with someone who isn’t in your local area just seems like it’s a recipe for a long-distance relationship that ultimately is destined to end in heartbreak when one or the other gets too busy to be able to put the time in. But hear me out. I like dating in different areas to where I live for a few really good reasons.
Firstly because it means they’re not on your doorstep! If you’re anything like me you’ll really value your space. I’ve dated local guys before and eventually, you fall into a routine where they’re round several times a week and suddenly awkward questions start to be raised about moving in. No thanks. I’m quite happy to keep my love-life at, well, driving distance.
The second is that it means you have good opportunities for more dates whenever you’re in the area! I travel quite a bit for university conferences and seminars, so I find myself around the country fairly frequently (but not so much this year – thanks covid). It’s really nice to be able to ask someone out for dinner that you already know is interesting because you’ve been on a date with them already. And if something else happens? Well, that’s even better.
New areas and new opportunities
This year is going to be a bit different. One of my parents has moved to a different part of the country, so I’ll be looking for local love for the first time in Lincolnshire! I’m really excited to try a Licolnshire dating site or two and see who is looking for love near where I’m spending the Christmas holidays.
I’ve never tried Licolnshire dating before, so this is all going to be a new experience. And I’ll be sure to write a post in the new year letting you know how I got on! I’m hoping I’ll find someone that I can see each time I head over to visit my family, even if it’s just a coffee date. But more than coffee would be ideal.
Top tips for Christmas dating while visiting a new area
- Make sure you’re upfront with your date. Don’t pretend you live there all year round because they might feel duped if they’re looking for something different. I always make sure that they know that this is the local area for my family, but I’m pretty nomadic and move around a fair bit.
- Establish a relationship with them online first. Get to know them before you meet them in person to make sure that you’re not wasting your precious holiday time. If they seem a bit dull online they’re not going to get better in person.
- Stay in contact with them after the date to keep things sweet for future meets. I’m not saying that you have to pester them every day (although if you both really get on well then I guess I’m not going to tell you how to live your life), but drop them a WhatsApp message every week or two to see how things are going. Or, you know, perhaps a Zoom call in our brave new world.
Whatever you do, do it safely
I don’t need to tell you that we need to be a bit more careful this year when dating. And if you’re staying with family as I will be, take extra precautions. I’ll be trying to arrange any dates on the last two days of my visit to family this year. That way my family are hopefully less at risk of catching covid if my date is asymptomatic for the disease.
But most of all you need to make sure you’re having fun. If it doesn’t feel like fun, then don’t go through with it. Drop them a message if you’re not feeling it, it’s the polite thing to do. Don’t just leave them hanging, and don’t make them take a journey out if you’re not planning to meet them.
Let me know if you have any success with Christmas dating while visiting family this year! I’d love to hear all about it.
