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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdccsu3!zz1cp
From: zz1cp@sdccsu3.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Alone for the Holidays
Message-ID: <1310@sdccsu3.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 19-Nov-83 21:16:32 EST
Article-I.D.: sdccsu3.1310
Posted: Sat Nov 19 21:16:32 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 22-Nov-83 01:45:51 EST
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Computer Center
Lines: 36

During the holiday season, a very real problem which especially affects
singles is depression.  Everyone else is in a merry mood, but others
become depressed because they have no one to share the season with, no
reason for festivities, no real friends or family at hand to celebrate
with.  This is the reason why people go to bars on New Year's Eve, or
hang out in computer labs on Thanksgiving.  (These are real examples.)
It is a fact that suicide hotlines are the busiest at this time of year.

I have a few suggestions for avoiding depression:

--Go to parties and mingle with people.  One can usually get invited to a
  family party if one mentions that they will be alone during the holiday.
  (My family invites foreign students and single friends to join us in
  our celebration, so that they can have a "feeling of belonging" to a
  family.)

--Throw a party for friends, it doesn't have to be large.  Have small
  gifts for your guests.

--Dress well; it has a positive psychological effect.

--Buy yourself something special that you WANT and not necessarily need.

--Cook a special holiday meal.  Use your best china, silverware, the works.
  Invite someone to share it with you.

--Bake cookies, or have simple (hand-made?) house presents, and make
  the rounds of friends and neighbors.  No one will leave you standing 
  at the doorstep, but try not to stay too long if they are obviously 
  busy with preparations.

If anyone has additional suggestions, please post them to the net. 

--
C.P. at UCSD
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