Meeting your lover’s parents for the first time is nerve-racking as it is, but having to spend a whole Christmas day with them it’s a different story!
The dynamics are rarely in your favor, the traditions are unknown to you, perhaps you might even find them strange and awkward, there might be a bickering or two involved, people getting drunk and bloated with too much food and before you know it… Pufff!! The Christmas spirit has disappeared.
Here we share a few tips on how to survive your first (hopefully there will be many more to come) holiday with his parents!
Be Discreet. They will be all flattered you choose to spend the day with them, but keeping a low profile will help you get out of awkward situations, should such one present itself.
Be respectful. Common sense you say, but not really. We often mistake the Christmas loose spirit we all share, with too much comfortableness. Make sure you don’t over-share information, or go too far with the jokes and familiarity.
Get involved. It’s one thing being discreet and another being aloof. Get involved with the dinner preparations, initiate conversation and play with the children. This will make the rest feel you belong and won’t treat you like an outsider. By being part of their traditions and Christmas activities will help you get assimilated.
Go prepared. People will be excessively nosy about your relationship and where it is heading. So it’s wise to plan in advance your common answer to those demanding eyes of his 69 year old aunt.
Just have fun already! With so many things to be cautious about, you might forget to just enjoy yourself. Take a deep breath and just remember, there’s no such thing as a normal family, every family has its quirky side, reconcile with that and just enjoy the holiday!
Do you have any fairytale-gone-bad stories to share?