Match.com Finds That More Singles Want To Find Love Than A New Job This Holiday Season Despite Poor Economy

DALLAS, Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- During the holidays, singles are often left  thinking less about caroling and more about whom they will bring to their holiday office party or who will be their New Year's kiss. Match.com surveyed its members to illuminate singles' attitudes and opinions on a variety of holiday dating topics. Covering everything from holiday romance do's-and-don'ts to the dreaded "why are you still single?" question, the results shed insight on singles' reactions to many of the season's biggest stressors. Highlights of Match.com's survey findings include:

• Love tops singles' 2011 wish list. 46% of singles reported that their number-one wish for this year is to find a new romantic interest they could bring home for the holidays — even more so than finding a new job (which came in at 29%) or getting the new iPhone, which only 15% of those polled chose as their "must-have" item. 
• Men are more likely to lie to family about their single status this time of year. 29.2% of men admit to having lied about being single to family members during the holidays to avoid any associated pressures, vs. 16.7% of women.
• Annual tradition singles can't pass up: men gift themselves, women send season's greetings. The top holiday tradition men follow each year, regardless of their relationship status? Buying themselves a gift (31.6% vs. 13% of women). On the other hand, 27.8% of woman reported that sending cards to friends and family was the holiday tradition they would never skip.
• Nagging questions are the top source of holiday stress for singles.  Of all of the stresses tied to the holidays, 41.3% of singles polled said that dealing with the "why are you still single?" question from family and friends was the most tiring issue to deal with — more so than even finding a date for a holiday party, which only 9.7% of respondents chose as their top stressor.
• How much to spend on holiday gifts? 56% of women and 44% of men think the cost of holiday gifts should correlate to how long you've been dating your significant other.
• Santa's trademark 'Ho Ho Ho' is what makes him sexy. According to 32.9% of polled singles, men and women agree that Santa's sexiest attribute is his laugh. Women love his dedication to monogamy (30.3%), compared to the 19% of men who admire Santa's self-employment status.

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Additional holiday dating tips and data, including his and her relationship gift guides, are available on Match.com's official blog, Up To Date.  

About Match.com
Founded in 1995, Match.com was the original dating website and pioneer of the online dating industry.  Throughout its fifteen year history, Match.com has been responsible for more dates, relationships and marriages than any other website.  The company's comprehensive online dating services also include Chemistry.com, Singlesnet and People Media's 27 targeted websites such as BlackPeopleMeet.com and SeniorPeopleMeet.com.  Today, Match.com operates leading subscription-based online dating sites in 25 countries, 8 languages and across five continents.  Match.com is an operating business of IAC and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.  For more information, visit www.match.com. 

SOURCE Match.com