Being single around the holidays can be tough—especially when you don't have anyone around for cuffing season. But FWIW: Being single during the holiday szn can also be low-key great. I mean, what better time to fall in love than when you can go on romantic ice skating dates and stroll hand-in-hand through cute Christmas markets? (Answer: None. There is no better time. Just watch out for the snow-globe effect).
If you're feeling the winter blues though, the concept of going on a cutesy holiday-themed date may not exactly seem attainable. So, to help, we've curated a list of 10 inspirational holiday movies featuring single AF people who somehow manage to find love around the holidays...If Bridget Jones sort of, kind of, can, you sure as hell can too.
1. The Holiday
This movie, my personal favorite on the list, has something for everyone. If you're fresh out of a relationship with a sh*tty douchebag, look to Cameron Diaz's character for some majorly relatable hope.
If you've wasted forever pining after some jerk who's been stringing you along since the dawn of time, look to Kate Winslet's character. Either way, you're bound to finish the movie feeling like even if things seem like a poop parade right now, doing something outside of your norm just might make everything fall into place.
2. The Family Stone
Yes, this movie revolves around Sarah Jessica Parker and Dermot Mulroney's characters who are in a mega-serious relationship, but I think we can look to the siblings in this movie for some major single inspo. Not to spoil too much but, hey, maybe you'll end up falling for your sibling's new boyfriend or girlfriend and by some Christmas miracle, they'll actually be cool with it…?
3. Last Christmas
The newest movie of the bunch centers around a truly hopeless, lazy, borderline alcoholic who everyone seems to be either giving up on or seriously concerned about. And yet, she somehow manages to find love with a super hot dude who also happens to volunteer at homeless shelters. If that's not enough to give you hope, I don't know what will.
4. Serendipity
If you're a hopeless romantic who for some reason is not having a lot of luck in the romance department as of late, I'd recommend this movie. Like, yes, you're single now. But maybe you'll find your soulmate holiday shopping for gloves at your fave department store!!! Then you'll go on a magical date and never see each other again, but then keep serendipitously coming back into each other's lives. Or something like that.
5. Love Actually
Again, not trying to spoiler too much here, but the whole point of the movie is that "love actually is there" if you look for it. So, yes, you may be feeling single AF at the moment, but put your fancy PJs on because love may just come knocking at your door at any given moment.
6. Last Holiday
Close your eyes and envision the absolute worst date you’ve ever been on. Okay, now I'm going to bet that whatever you just imagined is nothing in comparison to the date Queen Latifah's character goes on at the beginning of Last Holiday. Long story short: She hits her head so hard on a cabinet during the date that she has to go to the hospital where she finds out she only has three weeks to live.
If she can turn that horrific date into something positive, you can get over the Tinder match who showed up 45 minutes late and double-checked that you'd be covering the bill before ordering the most expensive thing on the menu.
7. While You Were Sleeping
If you're majorly shame-spiraling about the drunk texts you sent your crush the other night (ugh, how have they still not responded?!), try watching While You Were Sleeping. I promise you, no matter how crazy your crazy is, it's absolutely nothing compared to pretending to be your crush's girlfriend while he's in a coma, then proceeding to spend the holidays with his family. If this chick can find love, so can you.
8. Just Friends
If you're single and going home to your small town this holiday season, try giving this movie a little watchy-watchy. Whether you relate more to Ryan Reynolds' character, who's finally maybe got a shot at the girl he's been pining for since high school, or Amy Smart's character, who's just now realizing the dude she friend-zoned in high school is majorly hot and still into her, you're going to come out of the movie with some sort of nostalgic hope.
9. When Harry Met Sally
Okay, so When Harry Met Sally spans over a bunch of years and goes through different seasons. BUT (spoiler alert) they don't legit start making things happen until the holiday season. If you're a single person who's low-key in love with your bestie, give this movie a watch for some inspo.
10. Bridget Jones's Diary
This isn't a ranked list but, if it were, this movie would rank as number one. Nobody does single like Bridget Jones does single. And nobody does single around the holidays like Bridget Jones does single around the holidays. Period. End of story.