The December Marie Claire highlights the holiday season's newest trend: hanging onto the significant others you can't stand.
In "The New Male Midlife Crisis," Lauren Ianotti describes several women who are dating what are often nauseatingly referred to as "kidults." These are the John Mayer-types who keep secret bachelor pads and refuse to marry, have kids, and become normal adults. Ianotti theorizes that behind every kidult is a successful woman—- men are no longer pressured into becoming providers because, these days, more women can take on that role. How do those women deal? Dana, the head of a major global cosmetics brand, thinks she is "just lucky" that her "type B" boyfriend sticks around and "puts up with [her] shit." (Because thanking your lucky stars will totally help your man's commitment issues!)
In "The Honeymoon from Hell," Liz Fischer describes how her four-month honeymoon with her new husband, David, went sour. The newlyweds started despising each other while backpacking across South America and hanging out with vagabonds who dislike the institution of marriage. David would do things like "condescendingly commend her vocabulary" and try to visit multiple sites in one day. (Um, what an asshole?) The couple took a break for weeks and finally rekindled their love in the absence of others. So, how does Fischer deal with the inevitable tension in her marriage these days? She looks to her honeymoon for answers, avoiding exposure to her husband for extended periods of time.
Below, a summary of other tips from this month's issue.