Here are a few tips for celebrating your holiday and navigating the snags of your first Christmas.
Get an Ornament Together
First and foremost, the two of you will want to choose an ornament together. It can say be symbolic of the number one, or of a shared memory or moment in your relationship that is important for the two of you.
Go to Holiday Events Together
Make time to attend a couple of holiday events as a date. Moving in has probably left you little time to dress to the nines and go out as a couple, so spring for tickets to “The Nutcracker Suite” or attend a Christmas Eve mass.
Even if you are not religious, candlelight services and soft music inspire reflection and warmth in your heart that is reminiscent of the warmth you feel for each other.
Make Christmas Plans Early
Take the time to sit down with each other and discuss holiday plans ahead of time. Allow each member of the couple to inform his or her family of the plans, and to ask for minor changes in schedule if possible.
It is better that everyone know the plan in advance than to hurt feelings and “ruin” the family holiday. Get the imposed guilt out of the way early.
You Can Host Christmas at Your House
Remember that you do also have the option of staying at home and celebrating Christmas as a couple, or of hosting your own fete this holiday season. You have now formed a family separate from the one you grew up with, and are allowed, believe it or not, to create your own holiday traditions.
Don’t Get Overwhelmed
Do say “no” to some work, volunteer, and party invitations or obligations this time of year. For many, this time of year is packed with emotion, and it is important to nurture yourself and your relationship with each other by enjoying some downtime together.
Feel Free to Be Lovey-Dovey
Hang mistletoe and kissing balls all around your home and canoodle as much as you can. Later on in your relationship, you can not get away with being as sickeningly smoochy as you can right now.
Decorate With Something from Your Wedding
If you are newly married, display your wedding albums, cake topper, or toasting glasses among your holiday displays.
Consider having your portraits taken as a couple. You could even make it a holiday tradition, and display them every year.
Take Care of a Lonely Pet
If you are both in agreement and able to care for one long-term, adopt a pet from a shelter this Christmas.
Your four-legged companion will remind you every day for years to come of that first love-filled Christmas you shared with your significant other. It will also give you another creature with which to share your affection.
Remember, a pet can be a commitment of a decade or two, so make sure that you pick one that you love almost as much as you do your partner!
Respect Old Traditions and Make Your Own
Your first Christmas together should be a time of celebrating your love for one another. It is a time of respecting the old traditions and creating new ones that are your very own. Make your home and your relationship a haven of peace and love and joy this holiday season.
