It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Sparkly snow, sleigh rides, mistletoe. What more could a person want? Oh right, a monogamous relationship to share all these magical moments.

Many of my friends in their senior year of college are completely concerned with getting married. They talk about being a “good catch” and “settling down.” This feeling was never really mentioned before, let alone so imminent.

However, our biological clocks are ticking. Partnered with the all the holiday pressures about finding a spouse, most people who aren’t dating in the last year of college are concerned with “finding The One” soon, or else sentencing themselves to a life in the nunnery.

So here we have Harry Connick Jr. crooning traditional “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” and getting everyone all excited about mating. When Christmas music only sends subliminal messages of romance and how nice it is to be with someone this time of year, how can we not think of getting hitched?

There are very few songs with deeply religious themes that explain the real reason for the celebration. Instead, these Christmas songs reinforce romantic expectations and ideal relationships that only exist in these immortalized musical styles.

In the United States, the life expectancy at birth for males is 75 and for females 81, according to the 2006 CIA World Fact Book. Thanks to technology and proper nutrition, people are living longer than ever. If the average woman lives to 81, then 21 is a young age – only one-quarter of her life. This means society is evolving, and instead of getting hitched in the early 20s and having tons of responsibility, 30 is the new 21.

We are living longer so we are not forced into these strict roles as young as our grandparents did. Statistics show that many people are waiting to get married. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the amount of cohabiting unmarried couples increased tenfold between 1960 and 2000. This allows people the chance to experiment with independence at a younger age and then make more responsible decisions in their relationships later in life.

Even if people are waiting to get married, there is still the urge to find a lover, especially during the holiday season.

In Japan, Christmas is seen as the most romantic holiday, because most Japanese people do not celebrate the religious event. This is the time many women are wooed by their sweethearts, with fancy dinners, cakes and hotel suites. Christmas in America is quickly becoming similar.

Forget Christmastime commercialism, it’s more like Christmastime couplism. The media surrounding Christmas make it seem necessary to have someone. I must admit, I am a sucker for those cheesy, made-for-TV Hallmark movies in which the characters always find love.

But this has got it all wrong. Relationships cannot always be romanticized to the point of making New Year’s plans with your sweetie. They are rather about finding someone with whom is worth making it work.

So, to all us singletons out there, don’t feel bad about being left alone by the fireside, eating your own roasted chestnuts. Next time Mariah Carey sings that all she wants for Christmas is you, realize there are many other reasons for this festive holiday time.