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When the holidays roll around, you may be nervous about meeting your guy’s family for the first time. After all, they are going to get an incredibly intimate look at your relationship. They will see how you interact together as a couple, plus see if you have anything in common with each other and their extended family members. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make that first impression on his family go smoothly and also help ensure that they like and approve of you as their future brother-in-law. Even if your boyfriend has introduced you as his girlfriend or referred to you as his girlfriend in front of them, introducing yourself as his girlfriend for the first time to his parents can feel a little bit awkward. Fortunately, following these tips can help ease the tension — and show that you’re ready for them to take this relationship to the next level.
Communicate with your boyfriend about what’s important to his family.
The first thing you should do is talk to your boyfriend about what’s important to his family — and what isn’t. While this may seem like an awkward conversation to have, it’s a vital one. First off, it lets him know that you’re being conscientious and thoughtful about meeting his family and that you’re open to his family members letting you know what is and isn’t appropriate for you to do when you’re around them. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to ask questions about his family and truly get to know them better. This is a great way to ease the tension before meeting his family and show that you’re eager to fit in. Some questions you can ask your boyfriend to help you get a feel for what is important to his family include: What is the most important thing that your family values? What is the most important thing that your family believes? What are some traditions that your family practices every year? What is your family’s “go to” recipe for the holidays? What is your family’s “go to” family gathering activity? These questions can help you get a better idea of what is important to his family so that you can make a great first impression.
Show that you care about their family and their traditions.
Family and tradition are extremely important — especially during the holidays. Therefore, you should make sure that you show that you care about his family’s traditions and family members. This will show his family that you truly care about their relationships and that you’re someone they should accept as part of the family. Of course, this may seem like a daunting task. However, there are a few things you can do to help show that you care about his family. The main thing you should do is listen when you’re around his family. Show them that you’re interested in what they have to say and that you’re invested in their stories. Another great way to show that you care about his family is to offer to help. If you see that someone needs assistance, offer to help. If you see that something needs to be done, offer to do it. This will show that you genuinely care about their family and that you’re not just there to “make an impression” — you’re there to be a part of the family.
Be confident and speak when talking to his family
When you’re around his family, make sure that you exude confidence. Let them know that you’re confident in yourself and your relationship with their son. This will show that you’re confident in yourself and your relationship with their son. Also, be careful to not appear too confident, as this can come off as cocky or arrogant. You don’t want to completely avoid showing any signs of nervousness, but you want to avoid letting your nervousness completely overtake you. When you’re around his family, also try to think about talking less and listening more. While you do want to be a part of the conversation, you don’t want to completely take over and become the family discussion leader. While it’s important for you to have a say in the conversation, it’s also important for you to be an active listener. This will make you come across as more thoughtful and mature.
Help out with the food and festivities.
Unless you’ve been invited to someone’s home for the holiday, the first time you meet his family will likely be at his parents’ house. This means that you’ll likely be helping out with the food and festivities. You can ease the tension of being around his family while helping out by offering to help as soon as you arrive. Ask his mom what you can do to help out and go from there. If you see something needs to be done, help out with it. If you see that someone is struggling with something, offer to help. If you see that the coffee pot is empty, go get coffee. If you see that no one is taking the dishes to the kitchen, take them to the kitchen. This will show that you’re invested in the festivities and that you aren’t just there to “make an impression.” It will also help to ease any tension that may exist between you and his family.
Come prepared with questions for his family.
As you’re listening to conversations, asking for help and making small talk with his family members, be sure to have a few questions ready to ask them. This will help you come across as thoughtful, interested and curious. It will also give you the opportunity to truly get to know them better. Some questions you can ask his family members to help you get to know them better include: How did you two meet? How long have you been together? What are your favorite activities to do together? What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? What’s your favorite thing about my boyfriend? What’s your favorite thing about me? This will help you to truly get to know his family members better and ease any awkward tension that may exist between you and his family members.
Once the meeting is over, thank everyone.
Once the meeting is over, thank everyone in his family for meeting you. Be sure to let his mom know that you appreciate her hospitality. Be sure to let his dad know that you appreciate his advice, wisdom and guidance. Thank his siblings for meeting you and for helping out with the food and festivities. Thank his grandparents for coming out and meeting you. Thank his aunts and uncles for coming out and meeting you as well. This will show that you’re grateful for the opportunity to meet his family and that you truly appreciate their time. This can also help to ease any tension that may have existed between you and his family members.
The Wrap Up
This holiday season, remember that meeting your boyfriend’s family for the first time is a both nerve-wracking and exciting. It’s important to remember that meeting them is a two-way street. You get to meet them, but they also get to meet you and see how you interact with your boyfriend. This is a great opportunity for you to show that you care about his family and that you’re ready to take this relationship to the next level.
