Berkeley, CA -- Nobody likes spending the holidays alone, or do they?

According to Anneli Rufus, self-proclaimed loner and author of "Party of One: the Loners' Manifesto" (Marlowe & Co.), there are a large number of folks who prefer to spend the holidays solo, but other folks won't leave them alone.

Rufus claims fellow loners want the rest of the world to know they aren't broken and don't need to be fixed and they don't want to be invited to holiday parties.

So if loners want to get out of social engagements, she recommends they can tell white lies like "sorry, I have other plans," schedule to be out of town during parties or tell the host the honest truth "I'm happy being alone."

If loners are looking for something to do, Rufus recommends going to the beach, going on long drives or to the movies. These usually crowded places are deserted on Christmas and New Years Day.

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