I get more emails from singles during the holiday season than any other time of the year. These emails generally have one of two types of comments: "David, I am so down because I don't have anybody to share the holidays with" or "The holiday season is such a lonely time of year. It's a bad time to try and meet someone new."

So many singles tend to mope around during the holiday season. I have to tell you, though, that I feel the exact opposite way about being single and meeting someone during the holidays.

Here are five reasons why the holiday season is a perfect time of year to find a date, and some tips on how to meet someone during the holidays:

1. People have taken year-end inventories. The end of the year is a time to reflect. You reflect back on what has happened in your life. You reflect back on the people you've dated during the past year, or the lack of dates you had. You might think back on some of your dating "near misses" or the people with whom you just didn't connect.

During this time of year, many people are more vulnerable than usual because they do not want to spend the holidays alone. Due to this vulnerability, people will open up more if you try to engage them in conversation. As it gets closer to winter, and especially during the holidays, people tend to be more willing to date people they otherwise wouldn't during the rest of the year. You have so many more potential connections right next to you every day of the holiday season. So keep this in mind about how people are feeling this time of year, and start being a little more friendly.

2. Christmas shopping. The holiday shopping season seems to begin before we've even taken our pumpkins off the porch, which means that there are a lot of days to go out Christmas shopping. You can go Christmas shopping every single day (whether you are actually looking for presents or not) during the holiday season. This is really the one time of year when you can wander around in stores in which you would normally not feel comfortable.

One of my favorite things to do to meet someone during the holidays is to go Christmas shopping and ask for opinions. If you are a man, you can head into the women's department and bop around getting opinions on a present for your sister. If you are a woman, go to the men's department and ask for opinions on a gift for your brother. You can start a conversation with virtually anyone by pointing out an item and saying, "Excuse me, I am shopping for my boss (or brother, sister, or mother). What is your opinion on this?" It is a natural and easy way to talk to someone new.

3. No one wants to spend New Year's Eve alone. We have all been to New Year's Eve parties where we've had to endure the 5-4-3-2-1 countdown without someone to kiss at midnight. It's not fun. No one likes to spend New Year's Eve alone. For this reason, there are a lot of people looking to connect with someone in time for New Year's. So how can you meet all these people? Well, the holiday season offers a number of really fun (and easy) ways to approach someone -- and to make yourself very approachable.

You can walk around wearing a little Santa cap to spread some holiday cheer. Or walk your dog with reindeer antlers on its head. One fun thing I had the guys do at one of my boot camps was to play the "naughty or nice" game with women. This entailed them wearing Santa caps and carrying around stockings filled with candy canes. They would walk up to women (and women could do this with men) and say, "I'll give you a candy cane if you tell me whether you've been naughty or nice and why." There are a million fun little ways to use holiday props to meet people, and with all the holiday hustle and bustle people often appreciate a little bit of fun.

4. Unlimited holiday events. Going to holiday-related public events is another way to have fun and possibly meet your potential soul mate. Shops often will stay open late on a Friday night, and towns will have things like Christmas walks and open houses on store-filled streets. It's amazing how many people you can engage just by wishing them a merry Christmas or Happy Holidays -- and end up in a great conversation.

5. Plan your own events. The holiday season is also the perfect time to create your own fun activities. For example, throw a Secret Santa party where you invite singles and tell them to bring a gift for someone else who is single. Or have a holiday party where you ask your guests to bring someone to the party whom no one else has met. This allows you to start building your social network.

So try having a new mindset this holiday season. Instead of thinking about what you didn't have during the past year, why not be thankful for the things you've accomplished and end of the year with a bang?

Start engaging other singles a lot more, and you just might surprise yourself. Then when 5-4-3-2-1 comes around, you could be looking into the eyes of that new mate you met during the holiday season.