Your Guide To Bringing A New Partner Home For The Holidays

Bella Breakdown

This is always a tricky one. When is it time bring your SO home for the holidays? Will everyone get along? Will your family tell them embarrassing stories about you as a child?

It can be really exciting to share your new partner with your family, and obviously you want this person to be a part of your life in many ways. While it can be a tricky thing to navigate, just follow a few simple rules to make sure you and your family are ready for this new addition to your holiday traditions!

Are You Ready?

This is an obvious one, but it’s important to separate your excitement from reality. Are you ready to introduce this person to the whole family? Even your obnoxious, flirty cousin? We all have those family quirks that can drive us crazy, so just make sure that you and your SO are ready to handle whatever comes your way.

Give Your Family Some Details

In order to avoid an interrogation, give your family some details about your relationship. How did you guys meet? How long have you been dating? What does he/she do for a living? Get all this information out of the way now so you can relax later on. Also be sure to consult with your SO about the relationship status. If you expect your grandmother to ask about a wedding date, be ready with an answer that clarifies the state of your relationship.

Sort Out the Gift Situation

Decide early on whether you want to exchange gifts or not. If not, tell your family not to get anything for your SO, so as to avoid any awkwardness. If your partner does want to bring something for the family, get something small that will work for everyone, like a framed picture of the family, an ornament for the tree, or a nice bottle of wine.

When in doubt, make sure you and your partner are ready to take this step, and that there’s not discomfort on either side. After that, you’re ready to kick back and enjoy the holidays with everyone.