by Doug Radunich

STAFF WRITER

Christmas is one of those holidays I appreciate because of its emphasis on families being together and celebrating, but coming from the perspective of a guy who is still single, it is also one of those holidays I want to get over as soon as possible.

Once again, I unfortunately have to spend this Christmas season not only as an unmarried bachelor, but as a guy who isn't even seriously dating anyone. To make matters worse, I'm a 26-year-old male who lives in Utah, and as most Utahns know, most women who are around my age and live in this state are already married and have at least two or three young children. It's hard enough trying to find a girl my age to date, let alone one to date between now and the time Christmas comes around. Even in Salt Lake, where I live, it's still pretty hard to find single girls close to my age.

Being alone for the holidays makes you feel depressed, knowing that you're getting another year older and another year closer to becoming the single old man everybody wonders about -- "What's wrong with that guy?" As the only remaining single guy out of my college friends, at least that's how I view things.

Another bad part about being single over Christmas is that when I go and visit my mom in St. George for the holidays, pretty much all the people from her side of the family -- which includes several aunts, uncles, cousins and second-cousins -- are bursting with questions on why I'm still single at the over-the-hill age of 26, and why I'm the only grandson left unmarried. I get to hear great quotes like, "So, why aren't YOU married yet?" "Aren't you at least dating someone?" and "Are you too picky or something?"

I also get quick pep talks from them, which include "You're a good-looking guy who should get tons of girls," "You just need to practice what you say to girls," and of course, "You just need to have more confidence." Inevitably, they force me to sit down and browse girls on Internet dating sites for hours on end. That's when I know things have gone too far and I have to make an escape somehow. Sure, I know they all mean well, but it becomes truly bizarre when the birth of Christ becomes overshadowed by my love life -- or lack thereof.

However, I suppose there is a bright side to all of this. At least when you're single you don't have to worry about buying your spouse or girlfriend some super-expensive gift to show how much you care, or if he or she is high-maintenance, several super-expensive gifts to show you care. Therefore, I guess it's nice to know that I'll still be financially stable after the holidays and not squabbling with my spouse about how to pay down the credit card debt.

I guess I should stop whining and be patient for someone to come along. But Christmas, because it's a holiday focused on love, family and togetherness, always seems to be the time of year when I truly ponder why I'm still single and what could possibly be wrong with me. Oh well, maybe I'll have better luck next year around this time when I'm 27. By then I'll only have three years left until I'm 30. I guess I really do need to focus on getting married soon.

dougrad@tooeletranscript.com