Relationship

This is how to survive your first Christmas with your partner

By Sophie Rietmulder | #!31Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:15:35 +0100+01:003531#31Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:15:35 +0100+01:00-3Europe\/Amsterdam3131Europe\/Amsterdam202331 16pm31pm-31Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:15:35 +0100+01:003Europe\/Amsterdam3131Europe\/Amsterdam2023312023Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:15:35 +01001531512pmSaturday=9#!31Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:15:35 +0100+01:00Europe\/Amsterdam12#12-16-2023#!31Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:15:35 +0100+01:003531#\/31Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:15:35 +0100+01:00-3Europe\/Amsterdam3131Europe\/Amsterdam202331#!31Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:15:35 +0100+01:00Europe\/Amsterdam12#

Christmas with a new love can be very romantic, but it can also cause an incredible amount of stress. Because how are you going to celebrate it together? Are you already taking each other home or are you skipping that for now? And what does it mean if you do or do not do that? And the most important thing: what do you buy for someone you may not know for very long? I’ve been there and done that, so I’m happy to give you all the tips to survive your first Christmas with your partner so that you can get through this period as cozy and stress-free as possible.

Set gift rules
Discuss and establish clear rules for giving gifts to avoid awkward situations. Discuss how much you want to spend on each other and state your expectations, while occasionally dropping a few subtle hints about certain jewelry or perfumes you’ve always wanted to try. Sometimes we just need to give them a little nudge.

Old and new traditions
Everyone has their own Christmas traditions. My family always celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve, while my boyfriend's family prefers to celebrate Sinterklaas. Taking each other's traditions into account is a must, but it’s also wonderful to come up with new traditions together. For example, buy each other a Christmas ornament that reminds you of each other or make a rule that you always watch a cheesy Christmas movie while decorating the tree. Whatever you do: creating your own traditions will definitely bring you closer together.

Enjoy each other
Sure, Christmas with a new love can be stressful, especially when in-laws suddenly come into play. I always found Christmas to be the most relaxing time of the year thanks to that one dinner on Christmas Eve, and now I’m sitting at the table for three days straight with all the families. Use this time to also enjoy each other. If all goes well, your work is on a low flame anyway, so spend that time together without outside noise.

Family and friends
No matter how exciting, the Christmas season is the time to get to know each other's families (better). So go together to the coziest parties to score points with your partner's inner circle. Pro tip (and I’ve seen this happen): don’t drink too much!

Set joint goals
Plan goals for the coming year together. Discuss individual goals and hold each other accountable, but also definitely set goals together for the new year. This way, you can look forward to what’s to come and your bond will become much stronger. We’re doing this this year with a vision board, but you can also just write it down.

Keep it cozy
Maybe easier said than done, but Christmas should be nice and cozy. Avoid stress and pressure as much as possible. Make it fun and relaxing and enjoy each other's company, so that the first Christmas with your great love is something you can always look back on with warmth.