It’s Christmas Eve! Hope you’re all on your last chocolates from your advent calendars and just relaxing in your most comfortable of jogging bottoms. Christmas is very much a time for family. It’s also a time of major stress, arguments and sore losers, if you’re a family who play board games. If things are getting serious with you and your partner, you might be involving them in your family festivities this year. If that’s the case, here are 5 tips if your partner is spending Christmas with your family…

• Don’t let Christmas be the first time they meet your family

Hopefully, if your partner is spending Christmas with your family, this isn’t the first occasion they’ve met them. Sure, they’ll be some cousins, aunts and uncles they likely wouldn’t have met beforehand. However, immediate family? Better to have your partner meet them in a low pressure setting first.

Christmas is already so high intensity, as is meeting the family for the first time. So, try and avoid having both coinciding and your partner will hopefully feel less pressure.

• Make sure you give your partner a briefing

Have you seen Crazy Rich Asians? You know how Nick doesn’t warn his girlfriend at all about his family before she meets them? Yeah, don’t do that if your partner is spending Christmas with your family. We all know that the holidays can bring out the best, and the worst, in people.

Just give your partner a heads up of what to expect at your house for Christmas. Maybe there’s an Aunt who is ridiculously nosey, or there’s a room that’s off limits to guests. Better to have all that information going in and be prepared.

• Let your family know what topics are off the table

We all know that some people tend to just talk with absolutely no filter. Especially in a time as highly political as now. Maybe there are some topics that should be avoided.

For example, if your partner is estranged from certain family members or if someone close to them has recently passed and they don’t want to discuss it. Have a chat with your family and let them know what is and isn’t ok to bring up over Christmas.

• Try and include some of your partner’s traditions

It’s always difficult when someone isn’t spending the holidays with family, especially if that’s what they normally do and if that’s the only time they see their family. It’s a big step if your partner is spending Christmas with your family. It can also be a big break from tradition.

In the spirit of bringing worlds together, try and include some of your partner’s traditions over the holiday. It’s a nice way to make them feel included and welcome. Also, if things progress between you two, it’s a nice little look at how your Christmases together could look.

• Make sure the two of you get some alone time

Christmas can be hectic, especially if you’re a family who has a lot of activities planned. It can be overwhelming, especially for a fairly newcomer. That makes it important, no essential, to have some one on one time with your partner if they’re spending Christmas with your family.

Also, another extra tip (because we’re so kind and giving here) make sure the two of you have a secret code. It’s perfect for if your partner needs a break or needs to be saved from awkward conversation. Be someone’s hero this holiday 😉

So, there you have it! 5 tips if your partner is spending Christmas with your family. Remember, it’s meant to be a fun time and make sure you get some rest. Got to prepare for 2020! Hope you enjoy all that food 🙂