Beware of “snow Globes” When Dating During the Holidays
The holidays evoke all sorts of feelings for singles, which explains why some people enter handcuff season (that is, when you “tie” yourself to someone – figuratively, of course – in order to get through the winter months together). But now, according to Cosmo , there’s another dating trend that couples should look out for when it’s time to start decorating the halls: snow globes.
According to Mina B. , an expert on harmonic relationships, this is not as cute as it seems.
“ Snowball is a dating trend during the holiday season when a person is in love and seems to want to get more serious with their partner,” she explains. “Then they switch off, retreat, or change their behavior after the holidays are over.”
You might think why on earth do people do this? Well, to be honest, most people don’t do it on purpose. They are simply overwhelmed by the warm and fluffy feelings that the holidays give us.
“People are meant to connect, and the holidays are historically known for moments of love, connection, and celebration that evoke that “high” feeling,” says B. “We are also seeing an increase in romantic holiday movies and entertainment, which reinforces the idea that Holidays are rooted in love.”
While it shouldn’t be something negative – wanting to connect with another person is great, it’s important to take inventory of how that “high” affects us and influences how we seek love. “[We want to] make sure the connections we make make sense and are not a way to deal with our discomfort,” says B.
That being said, if you want to know if anyone is falling for you this holiday season, read on to find out more about the questionable Christmas trend.
What are the signs that someone might snowball you?
According to B, some signs that someone might be riding snowballs include:
- An increase in the desire for communication during the holiday.
- Being pushy about meeting someone’s family during the holiday season (especially if the person has mentioned in the past that they are not ready to meet each other’s families).
- Perseverance in attending events such as Christmas parties, but not being invited to more intimate gatherings, such as meeting up with friends.
- Decreased attention after the end of the holidays (ghostly, slow response time, not initiating the date).
In addition, relationship expert Audrey Hope says it’s important to listen to yourself, pay attention, and acknowledge the signs of what’s going on in your relationship.
“Did they tell their family about you before you went to meet them? Do their inner circle of friends know about you? she said. “Will you exchange gifts? Will you be traveling together? Has your partner’s behavior changed? Is it getting serious? Will you meet after the holidays?
Track your partner’s actions and check for yourself if they make sense given where you are in your relationship. Gift exchanges and meetings with parents make sense if you’ve been dating for six months or longer, but maybe not so much if you’ve only recently started dating.
What to do if you think someone is groping in the snow
Hope notes that if you suspect someone is snowing you, the secret to any form of good relationship is to “never be afraid to speak up and say what’s on your mind for fear of losing that person. In dating, it’s important to never assume and know where you are. There should be ground rules and honest communication. You have to say these words out loud, words that are often so difficult for the people you meet, and ask, “What is happening to us? Let’s talk about it.'”
Some useful scenarios, according to B., include:
- “I’m feeling a shift in the relationship and I want to check what’s going on with you and if you’re feeling the same.”
- “I noticed a difference in your behavior after the holidays, it seems like you are pulling away, am I misinterpreting this?”
- “We don’t meet as often and we don’t talk as much as we used to, this change happened recently after the holidays and I am struggling to cope with it. What caused this change?
On the other hand, what if you are a snow globe?
Nobody is perfect, and sometimes we do something with the best of intentions only to realize we made a mistake. A great way to figure out if you’re a snow globe, says B., is to pay attention to how your affection and desire can increase or decrease in relation to the person you’re dating during and after the season. “After these holidays are over, it can be difficult to maintain something that isn’t real, so if the relationship dynamic starts to feel strong and you become more and more uninterested over time, this could be a sign that you are either on edge or already snowballs,” she says.
Can a snow globe turn into a legal relationship?
We are all suckers for a happy ending. So can a connection to a snow globe travel a distance? B. says it’s not impossible. “After a holiday high, even if a person’s feelings may not be as strong as they used to be, it doesn’t mean that their feelings have completely faded,” she explains. “It can still be interesting to study the connection and see where it goes.”
Perhaps the most important thing, whether you’re a snow globe or a snow globe, is to rethink your feelings about your relationship status, especially around the holiday season.
“Although there are different types of companionship, it’s important to remember that dwelling on the negative will not increase happiness, it will only decrease it,” says B. “Reframe your thoughts by focusing on what you have and maintain a sense of gratitude for connections in your life”.