Dude, there are many reasons for and against marriage, but, I have to say, the most paramount reason should be because you want to.
And, if this is the first Christmas you're spending with this person they should not be expecting a ring(baring another edition expectation). Furthermore, if they can't wait more than a year for a ring then they certainly can't spend an entire lifetime with someone. I'm no expert on relationships, but patience is a pretty important characteristic, I believe.
Don't compare being single with being with someone, they are two totally different things, sometimes better and sometimes worse. It's more important that you are happy.