The holiday season is fast approaching. This time of year typically calls for a full stomach, full heart and empty wallet. You always want to spend the holidays with the people who mean the most, and for some people that would be your significant other. However, that might be a toss-up, and it’s hard to decide if you want to spend the special day with your family or your partner. Should I give up spending the special day with my significant other or should I bite the bullet and bring them home for Christmas? It can be totally terrifying to introduce your family to that special someone – you have all this anxiety, freaking out that your family won’t like them or that they won’t like your family. On the flip-side, it can be a bit awkward to walk into a family gathering and be the only one not actually related to these people. So here are some tips to help break the ice.
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Start slow. – Do you have one of those totally crazy uncles? Or maybe your grandfather has absolutely no filter. Well, definitely don’t have those be the first family members you introduce to your new S.O. Start by introducing your sweet aunt or your precious grandma. That’ll be a nice dip in the water for what’s to come because you definitely don’t want to scare them away and let them think your whole fam is nuts.
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Only bring them home if you’re ready. – If you met this person last week or have been ~official~ for only a few days, definitely hold off. Bringing someone home to meet the family is a huge step, and it’s a given that when your grandma meets someone once, she continues to ask about that person every time you see her. So only bring them home if you plan on keeping them around for a while.
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Facilitate conversation. – This can be a big one. I know my mom loves to grill people with questions when she first meets them, so it can be pretty intimidating to feel like you’re in an interview when you’re just trying to get in the holiday spirit. So instead of letting your S.O. get interrogated, find ways to connect their interests with those of your family members, so it feels like a two-way street.
On the flip-side……
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Show interest. – Ask your significant other’s aunt about her job and ask their cousins about school. It makes a good impression if the family notices that you’re trying to get to know them. As in most things, effort is key!
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Be present. – Instagram and Snapchat will be there when the night is over. Spend this time getting to know all the other people that your S.O. loves like they love you. And you never want to be that person who sits on their phone all night when the good time is right in front of you.
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Be open. – These people could potentially be your future in-laws someday down the road. Don’t shut them down when they want to get to know you. Let them in, and let them see what your S.O. sees and they will love you instantly. And if you get a bad vibe about someone in the fam, don’t dwell on it. Some people take a little warming up to, and it could get messy if you dislike your partner’s family.
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ENJOY THE NIGHT! – I absolutely can’t stress this enough. It’s the greatest time of year and an incredible privilege to spend this time with all the ones you love the most! I know it’s hard to be thrown into an unfamiliar environment with all these new people, but just breathe and get some conversation going, and by the end of the night, you’ll all be one big happy family.