# Family holiday gatherings feel lonely for single guy

> Single man describes holiday isolation at family gatherings.
- Title: Family holiday gatherings feel lonely for single guy
- Summary: Single man describes holiday isolation at family gatherings. Single man feels lonely at holiday gatherings despite being surrounded by family.
- Keywords: single man, family gatherings, holiday isolation, thanksgiving, christmas, dear abby, abigail van buren, news, local, Family, holiday, gatherings
- Source: Chicago Sun-Times — https://chicago.suntimes.com/dear-abby/2026/10/19/dearabby-today-dear-abby-family-holiday-gatherings-feel-lonely-for-single-guy
- Published: 2026-10-19T11:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: single man, family gatherings, holiday isolation, thanksgiving, christmas, dear abby, abigail van buren, news, local
## Single man's holiday experience
A single male feels lonely during family holiday gatherings despite having friends and family.
## Family gatherings problem
He attends gatherings with 15 to 25 people but feels isolated as others form cliques without engaging him.
## Emotional impact
This isolation makes him feel depressed and lonely even though he is surrounded by people.
## His solution
He considers spending holidays alone rather than attending gatherings where he feels unengaged.
## Family response
Family members acknowledge the issue but continue to invite him to gatherings annually.
## Dear Abby advice
Dear Abby suggests he join conversations or leave after brief greetings to avoid isolation.
## No explanation needed
He doesn't need to explain his absence from gatherings to hosts.
## Key takeaway

Single man feels lonely at holiday gatherings despite being surrounded by family.