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Twinkling lights, clinking glasses and crackling logs on the fire automatically give the holidays a romantic feel. However, the season can also place extra pressure on dating couples. How do you balance your relationship with the stresses and significance of the season? Follow these holiday dating tips to help you negotiate the mistletoe this year.
Talk About It
No matter how long you have been dating, communication is key to avoiding some of the worst holiday dating mistakes. You may want to set some ground rules to manage expectations. For example, you can agree on whether to exchange gifts and whether you will attend each other's holiday office parties. If your relationship is serious, you can make plans to spend the important holidays together. The important thing is to make sure you are on the same page.
Make Time
The holidays can be extremely hectic and a fragile romance can get lost among the shopping, wrapping, cooking, decorating and dealing with family. Don't let your relationship wither from lack of attention during the season. Make plans to celebrate the holidays with just the two of you. Do something simple but seasonal such as taking a drive to see holiday light displays or cooking a holiday meal together. If you mark the season with one or two special events, you can create your own traditions.
Family Time
The holidays can be an awkward time to introduce your partner to your family. If possible introduce your date to family members in a more casual setting before bringing them to a formal holiday event. Families like to maintain traditions and including a new face can be difficult. In addition, the pressure is high for everything to be perfect during the holidays. If family relations are strained, you may want to think twice about throwing your date to the lions. If your relationship is relatively new, ask your partner whether they would be comfortable at your Aunt Abigail's three hour Christmas dinner. The best option may be to celebrate with your date over a quiet bottle of champagne in front of the fire and then attend your family celebration solo.
What To Give
If you are unsure where your relationship stands, it can be particularly difficult to pick out a gift for your partner. Think about how long you have been dating. If you pick something too personal, or too expensive, you will appear too serious and may scare your partner away. If you pick something too generic, she may think you don't care or don't know her at all. Consider her interests when you pick a gift and she will know you have paying attention. Get a gift that recalls one of your dates and you will help your romance survive the holiday season.
Ring It In?
The holiday season closes with New Year's Eve and the pressure will be on for you and your date to exchange a kiss at midnight. New Year's can be champagne-filled and romantic or a disastrous way to kick off the year. Don't try to guess about how your date might want to spend New Year's. Consult with your partner on how to mark the end of the holiday season and celebrate the beginning of a new year.
Editor, 11/29/2012
