How to Pull off the Perfect Christmas Proposal
It’s time! You’ve done your research online, you put in the leg work shopping around for the best price on an engagement ring, and you’ve decided that a Christmas proposal is the ultimate holiday celebration. We don’t blame you! Between the lights, family, merriment and general atmosphere of love, a Christmas proposal is hard to top. It could be why 33% of proposals occur around this time of year! And no matter how you’re planning to ask for her hand in marriage – sleigh ride, ice skating, snowball fight – there are a few foolproof tips you can use to make sure your proposal goes off without a hitch. Well, with a hitch – yours to be precise
- Ask Mom and/or Dad. Even if you are both independent, even if neither of you has lived at home for years, even if Pops gave you his seal of approval after you split that bottle of Glenlivet at her brother’s wedding: ask one more time. And if your soon-to-be Mother in Law would like a say in the matter too (at least symbolically), bring her a bouquet of flowers and get down on one knee for her too. Just use your best judgment here, you know the family situation, but remember that you’re marrying into their family. It’s good to have them on board!
- Gather your props and support staff ahead of time. Tying the ring to fido’s collar? Make sure he’s got the routine down pat. (And for the love of Beyonce do not tie the ring to a brand new puppy unless she has explicitly stated that is her dream proposal. You’ll want to spend the next few weeks staring into each others’ eyes madly in love, not cleaning accidents off your living room carpet.) Are you popping the q in front of the whole family? Have a few trusted cousins in on the plan to keep the crowd under control and take pictures.
- Be sneaky. We’ve coached you before about how to get the ring past TSA, but if you’re traveling by car, make sure you pack that little box somewhere discreet that she wont stumble across. Also, it might be a good idea to put a password on your phone, or at least keep it tucked away, if your sister is the type to text you at half hour intervals asking “DID YOU DO IT YET?!”
- If it isn’t going perfectly the way you mapped it out, don’t sweat it. Easier said than done, we know, but remember – you are the only one who knows the master plan. She is going to be so surprised/overjoyed/overwhelmed that she won’t notice if your iTunes playlist isn’t perfectly synched or if you forgot to light the candles. Just don’t forget the ring 😉 If you sacrificed accuracy for the element of surprise when it came to her ring size, you can make a too-large ring fit her finger with a bandaid, rubber band or tape as a place holder until you can take her back to your jeweler to have it sized! This video has some good ideas.
- Share the great news! This is the perfect time of year to get engaged, because chances are you’ll be seeing most of your nearest and dearest in person throughout the week. Take care to notify anyone you’re missing (long distance Grandparents, Aunts, etc.) before you take the announcement worldwide on Facebook and Instagram. And please – if you were awesome enough to get her an RLJ ring, share that #ringpic with us too!
