Bringing That Special Person Home for the Holidays: How to Avoid Disaster

It's that time of the year again, when families gather round large tables, gorge themselves on a grand feast, imbibe the eggnog and celebrate the love of family. It's also the time of year when most new couples introduce their special someone to their parents for the first time. This time-honored tradition can be a pleasant addition to the festivities or a stress-inducing experience that leads to holiday madness. You only get one chance to make a great impression, so to make sure no one catches the crazy, here are a few successful holiday tips to prepare to meet your significant other's family.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=800993&pid=800992&uts=1260989800

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Planning a Holiday Party

Follow these tips for a flawless and stress-free holiday bash!

Getty Images

Cheap, Great Gifts for $5

DVDs

Much like a book exchanges, giving funky movies and TV shows on DVD can be a great, and inexpensive way to share with your inner circle. Check you local Wal-Mart, among other retailers, to pin down great DVD bargains.

Creative Candle Garden

A candle garden is created by artfully arranging various types of candles on a plate (not pictured here), and accenting the design of this gift with colored pebbles or other touches. You can get really inventive with this item, taking findings common to most dollar stores and transforming them into a versatile and romantic offering. Women of all ages will love the look and scent of this votive decoration.

Getty

Day Planner

You can find a day planner to suit the taste of almost every person on your holiday shopping list for as little as one dollar! Your chosen gift recipients will love getting an organizational tool the matches their favorite pastime or profession. Friends will love using your gift to get a jump on planning the new year.

Bath Gel and Lotion Set

Who can have enough bath gel or body lotion? Even men are jumping on the personal grooming bandwagon in recent years, making this gift applicable to both genders – as long as the scent is right! You can find this 12-piece gift set at Wal-Mart in stores for $14 and divide it into three gifts. Shop around online, or in your local outlets, to find more sets for a great price.

EyeWire

Boxers

Interesting boxers make a versatile gift for men. You can go campy and funny for your dad, or silky for a love partner. These items are often available in sets for a low cost that can be divided to create individual gifts.

www.personalizationmall.com

Homemade Soap, Bath Salts & Lip Gloss

Most women love bath and body products, and home made versions of these pampering treats always seem extra special. Much like fresh baked cakes and cookies, the ingredients it takes to make these products are super-cheap, and you can make several gifts with one bulk purchase. You can create dozens of flavored lip glosses from a $3 jar of Vaseline, or two pretty jars of scented bath salts with a carton of Epsom salt. You major investment will be in the containers you choose for your creations,, but these can be had for pennies per gift.

jupiterimages

Puzzle Books

Puzzle Books make great gifts for travelers, children, and people who love to relax at home. There is really no limit to the kinds of puzzle books you can find for five dollars and less. Shop around to find just the right items for your favorite companions.

Soft Slippers

Soft slippers will make a welcome addition to any woman's winter wardrobe. As the economy shrinking is making for many more nights spent cuddling at home for entertainment, soft are a perfect complement to an evening of soothing snuggles.

www.imagesource.com

Custom-Printed Stainless Steel Water Bottle

What a great way to take care of your whole holiday list at once. If you buy 25 or more pieces from Discountmugs.com, you can give a custom-printed stainless steel water bottle to all your family members, co-workers, neighbors and friends for five dollars or less (the more you buy). The custom saying you print on the bottle will be a positive reminder of your feelings for your loved ones every time they take a sip.

Five Below Sports Items

Get a variety of cheap gifts for all the sports fans on your list at a wonderful site for thrifty shoppers called Five Below. This site features an array of wonderful items from a wide variety of teams, all for five bucks or less!

http://www.fivebelow.com/sports

Know the family: Have your significant other prepare a list of family members you'll be meeting and a few key facts about each one. This will familiarize you with each person you meet. If Aunt Rita just got divorced, you don't want to ask where her husband is.

Dress appropriately: What you wears says a lot about who you, so pick an outfit that is fashionable yet family friendly. This is no place to show off your slovenly side, and just because there is a football game on, doesn't mean you have to wear a jersey.

Come bearing gifts: If you're going to dinner, bring a bottle of wine for the king of the house and flowers for the queen. This tradition shows respect for the family and let's them know you were raised by good parents.

Compliment: You should shower the women with compliments, and definitely compliment the cooking skills of the host. As everyone knows, flattery will get you far -- and stroking an ego, even further.

Conversation: Stick to neutral subjects, which means avoiding politics, religion, family issues, money and sex. This is not the place to tell stories of what a ladies' man you were before their daughter pinned you down.

Mind Your Ps and Qs: First impressions are hard to take back, so you should be on your best behavior and present your best manners. Pull out her chair, keep your elbows off the table and your napkin in your lap, and always put down the toilet seat.

Curb the booze: The holidays are a time to celebrate, but make sure there's not too much celebrating. Getting hammered at your future in-laws' house can lead to a disastrous experience, and you don't want to wake up the next day wondering what you two did to make your parents so angry.

Show interest: Asking questions and being genuinely interested in what is going on in each person's life will show that you're a caring individual who is selfless and kind.

Praise your partner: Every parent believes their kid is special, so each time you praise his or her greatness, the parents will feel special. Who doesn't want to feel like they are the best parents in the world?

Be you: This is your opportunity to highlight the best of who you are and show his or her family why he or she chose you!