December 8, 2011 | 1:44 am

Single for the Holidays vs. Desperate Online Dating

Posted by Ilana Angel

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I love the holidays.  From the sound of kids laughing at Hanukkah, the smell of latkes, Christmas carols in the mall, gorgeous wrapping paper, Kleenex and diamond commercials that make me cry, to people being in the holiday spirit, it all makes me happy.  There is something magical about the holidays and no matter what your religion is, for a brief moment, it feels like joy to the world is possible.  It is a time of faith and I love that about the holidays.

Being in love at the holidays is a great thing.  While I like going out, it’s the part of the holiday season where you stay in that I crave.  Snuggling on the couch to watch It’s a Wonderful Life, preparing a home cooked meal together, doing the dishes once the kids have gone to bed, and slow dancing to Al Green in the kitchen.  Those are things I miss about a relationship.  I miss those things anytime of the year, but at the holidays it actually aches.

So as Hanukkah approaches, I decided to cancel my online dating account and take down my profile.  I figure there is a certain desperation that is happening this time of year and I’d rather not be a part of it.  Once I made the decision I immediately thought it was a mistake.  Would this choice cause me to miss out on a great man?  Why couldn’t I leave it up and just see what happened?  Why was I so scared?

I actually prayed on this one.  I asked God to give me peace so I could let it all happen as it should, without my interfering. I don’t want to be that girl who stands in the way of her own happiness by over thinking or sabotaging love.  Then, because God listens, I got an email today that put it all into perspective and gave me clarity on my online dating life.  I am now firm on a decision and am feeling blessed to have God guiding me.

The email read as follows:  “Hi.  You have a warm face, kind iyes, and grate hair.  I would love to take you out and spend the night kissing you.  What a sweetheart you are.  I think we be fall in love.  Its Gods wish. Letz go out tongight so by New year we can make love and bring 2012 together.  Here is my number xxxxx. I am wating to hear from you.”  Not one single word has been changed. This is exactly what I received.

Online dating is painful but this guy put me over the edge, so my profile is down.  I think my online dating days have reached their end and so I am happy about that.  I have a little crush on someone interesting and so I am happy about that too.  Soon it will be latke time and It’s a Wonderful Life, The Wizard of Oz, and Little Women will be on television.  The hope of sharing the holidays one day is comforting, and reminds me to always keep the faith.