It's the season to be jolly, warm, and in the presence of your closest friends and family. For many of us, having a significant other makes the holidays even more joyous. Purchasing gifts and trying your best to hide them, as if we don't already know what our boyfriends or girlfriends will be getting us. It's fun and can be very romantic.

But for us who are single, it can be very lonely. To look around and notice tons of people with their families, doing holiday fun-filled activities kind of sucks. I'm not saying single people don't have families, however; it feels different to have a home of your own. It feels almost like a human need to have someone close to you at night, both of you kept warm from the touch of each other's skin, or kept awake from the other's loud snores. It's just the small things in life that add so much value to living it.

The best way to stay happy and grateful as a single during the holidays is to get out as much as possible doing things that make you happy. Maybe you're in the spirit of giving. Look for local events that need volunteers; you could meet people. Check out all the cheesy ugly sweater happenings and attend. Even if you just grab a drink or a bite to eat, just being around all the holiday goofiness is a spirit raiser. Don't forget about treating yourself too. This perhaps is one of the perks of being single with no children. You can spend your money on whatever you please. Enjoy that freedom--and all the after Christmas sales.

As we approach a new year, know that there are possibilities everywhere. You could find a new hobby or passion, begin a new fitness routine, achieve those 2016 goals that you got a late start on. Anything. So enjoy the holidays as a single person looking forward to new beginnings. Cheers!