Even though every retail store begins carrying Christmas items before October even starts, men still wait until the last minute to finish their Christmas shopping. It's Just Lunch, the premier international dating service for busy professionals conducted a survey of 2,631 U.S. singles and found that 43% of single men finish their Holiday shopping on Christmas Eve compared to 7% of women. 59% of singles surveyed finish their shopping the week before Christmas and 4% of singles wait until after Christmas to take advantage of the after Christmas sales. For 75% of singles, the favorite part about the Holidays is being with family and friends.
Perhaps that's why 54% of singles deemed the "ideal" Thanksgiving as being with an eclectic gathering of family, friends, and significant others. Only 24% prefer a traditional family only dinner. 10% of singles prefer to escape the Holiday chaos all together with a weekend getaway with a significant other. "Singles want to be with those closest to them during the Holidays," said It's Just Lunch founder Andrea McGinty. "Singles prefer to be with family and friends during the Holidays and if they are dating someone, they choose to include them in their Holiday activities." What is the perfect date during the Holiday season? 46% of singles prefer cuddling up by a warm fire with their significant other.
20% of singles enjoy ice skating on a date and warming up with a cup of hot chocolate. 36% of singles surveyed expect to receive a gift if they are dating someone less than a month, however the same percentage will only bring a date to a work Holiday party if they are dating someone exclusively. Nearly half of singles would feel comfortable bringing a significant other home for the Holidays after dating three months, 1/3 would wait until they had been dating six months, and 2% would never bring their significant other home for the Holidays.If you were invited to your significant other's parent's home for the first time during the Holidays, what do you bring? 2% of singles would sign their name on their significant other's gift, while 65% would bring a card and a Holiday basket. 25% would do research to get them the "perfect" gift, while 8% would bring them nothing—"we're just meeting for the first time."46% of singles are going to ring in 2005 at a cozy party with family and friends. 1/3 of singles are planning a romantic evening with their significant other and 4% believe the perfect way to ring in the New Year is a date with Dick Clark.
About It's Just LunchSince It's Just Lunch was founded in 1991, the company has arranged thousands of fun, first date lunches or drinks after work—an atmosphere where singles can feel comfortable with the process of meeting a new person. With over 70 locations worldwide, each day IJL arranges hundreds of fun, first dates over lunch or drinks after work at over 1,100 restaurants. With over 50% of introductions leading to a 2nd date, It's Just Lunch is the world's leading first date authority. The U.S. dating industry is estimated at nearly $1.5 billion, and growing at 25% annually, with 110 million single adults in the United States alone.For additional information, log on to www.itsjustlunch.comIt's Just Lunch - The Dating Service for Busy Professionals!For more information about the It's Just Lunch dating service or one of the over 70 It's Just Lunch franchises visit:http://www.itsjustlunch.comor visit one of these local It's Just Lunch sites:Dating in New York City - http://www.itsjustlunchnewyorkcity.com, Dating in Denver - http://www.itsjustlunchdenver.comDating in Minneapolis - http://www.itsjustlunchminneapolis.comDating in St.
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