Yup, looks like general levels of cruising drop down at this time of the year.
Most of the guys I know here are just too busy, too much under stress. It ain't the shopping alone, but all those meet ups with the family, extended family, those who want to get into the family, friends of a kind whom you did not manage to meet up with in months. People feel that someone might get offended, if you miss on them during the 'festive season'.
I was wrapping up the year in Budapest, Hungary and did not miss on the opportunity to go to a couple of my fav. spots. Sure, fewer guys around but those who were there mostly looked good and were not into wasting anybody's time. So, cruising was truly 1st class...
Web works fine, too. Yet, if you are not looking for anything more than 'a quick release' going thru all the notions of 'messaging', e-mail exchanges, phone calls, talks 'bout his schedule vs. my schedule makes hardly any sense. Especially, if chances are that a significant number of those web profiles are well, genuine fakes.
KD