Meet the Parents: A Guide
Happy Holidays my beauties:)
This time of year families travel from near and far to be together. Babies are cuddled, travel pictures are shared, and DUM DUM DUMMMMMMMM time to introduce the new girl/boyfriend to the OG squad. For some it comes naturally and goes off with out a hitch (Good for you, Jessica). The rest of us live in fear for months of just how we will embarrass ourselves or worse OFFEND THE MOMMA. Here's a foolproof guide to both welcoming your new beau or joining the ranks of the fam yourself.
Communicate with your Partner:
Before we go anywhere else let's start with the basics. No matter how ridiculous your fears may be they are VALID and worth sharing with your partner. No sure how dinner goes down? Ask. Wondering what present to get the host? Ask. Any topics to avoid? You'll never know Gran was attacked by a squirrel and hates talking about small creatures if you don't ASK. Be upfront with your expectations and fears with your significant other. Communication is the key to all relationships.
Gifts:
You can breathe, no one expects your to bring gifts for the entire family. Don't waste your time and money getting socks for every last cousin and great aunt. They don't know you, may not remember you, it's just not worth it. Also you'll seem overzealous and annoying. You do NOT want to outshine the host and being overly generous is one mishap that could put you in the " Oh god she/he is here" bucket. You SHOULD get the host a nice gift. Again don't spend a trillion and get them a gold encrusted bidet. Do get something nice and somewhat personal. A cheese board with their family initial, a nice bottle of wine from your state, etc, etc. Be kind and somewhat discreet when you present. A quick "Thank you for having me" and a hand-off is perfect.
Wardrobe:
I have a few points here. RANGE, Basics, and Class. Let's start with variety. If this is your first time meeting the fam you want to blend in NOT stand out. Wear things similar to what they are wearing. You don't need to be a clone and loose your style but if everyone is wearing sweatshirts and jeans don't try to impress them with your Anthropologie Kimino dress. Save that for round two:) How do you ensure this feat? Bring a RANGE of different pieces. Safe bets are the chunky sweater and jean combo, a nice Christmas dinner dress, some lounge wear (without holes/stains obvi), some exercise clothes (momma may want to chat over a hike), and some appropriate sleepwear ( for fireside chats). Now for the actual style of the clothing go BASIC. you are not here to outshine anyone, simply to blend into the family dynamic. Leave your bad-ass gold sequin dress at home and go for a simple black or red dress. If there is an occasion to be teh bell of the ball it should be momma or sister, NOT YOU. remember we want them to like us not feel competition for their son's/daughter's attention. Finally the fit, here we want CLASS. have great tits? Awesome! Lets not bring them out day one. Even if they aren't a conservative family you want them to rest assured you're a safe and classy match for their baby.
Remember you are there because someone adores you. Don't let any fear overpower that
