Simple Tips For The Perfect Holiday Proposal

Written by Terry Schilling

For some of the guys out there, the holidays aren’t just a time for college bowl season, going to ugly sweater parties, or having your significant other forcing you to watch The Christmas Prince on Netflix with her. For anyone in a serious relationship this time of year, it’s also what we like to call engagement season (yes, this is a thing and your girlfriend is very aware of it)!

Yes, the joyous atmosphere, decorations, gathering of family and friends make the holidays an ideal time to propose. So, if you have the ring and the day picked out but are still thinking, “okay, how the hell am I going to nail this proposal?” Here are some tips to help you make this holiday season one to remember.

Know what she likes
Believe it or not, one of the most attractive things you can do for your girl is to listen and take initiative. With that said, if you have been dating long enough to get to the proposal point hopefully you’ve been listening and making notes of all her hints, like the type of ring she wants, how she may want to be proposed to, location she likes, or even what NOT to do. Trust me, the hints have been there and incorporating a few of them in your special moment won’t go unnoticed.

Pick a day that’s free on the schedule
Make no mistake about it, the holidays are busy. You have office parties, family outings, shopping, etc., so make sure that your schedules are free and try to let important people like parents and best friends know what’s going on so they don’t give anything away.

Get family and friends involved
The holidays are centered around spending time with family and friends so a proposal that involves these important people in a no-brainer. I’m not saying you have to have both of your parents standing over your shoulder but telling them about the proposal ahead of time and having a meetup location is a great idea - not to mention it drastically keeps the element of surprise in play. After you propose and she says yes, the next words out of her mouth will mostly likely be, “we should call our parents.” With a little planning ahead, you can respond, “why don’t we just tell them now.”

Plan out the rest of the day
Speaking of keeping the schedule open, the day shouldn’t just be the proposal. Imagine you get down on one knee, you give the speech of a lifetime, she says yes, and then you go to the gym. No! Don’t be like, “Oh crap, now what should we do the rest of the day?” Show that you have put a lot of thought into this and plan activities like lunch or dinner at your favorite spot, a few photos with family, or drinks with friends at night. You’ve done a lot of planning so make this special moment last and share the excitement with others.

Choose a location that’s special to both of you
Find a spot that tells a story about your relationship. Maybe it was a first date location, a theatre where you two went to your first play together, or the place where you said, “I love you” for the first time. Think of a milestone in your relationship and where it took place. Then, when you mix in the holiday theme, you have a killer proposal she’ll remember forever.

Take advantage of the holiday environment
During the holiday season, all the pretty lights and festive decorations make for a beautiful backdrop. Not to mention those lights will help make the ring sparkle even more. Use the holiday theme to your advantage - For example, set up a romantic date night on New Year’s Eve and ring in the New Year with a champagne toast and a proposal. Or, find the tallest Christmas tree in town and get down on one knee. The holidays make it really easy to set the perfect seen. Give her an Instagram photo she’ll be excited to share!
If you need some holiday-themed proposal ideas, check out this helpful article from our friends at The Knot.

Speak from the heart
Remember, during the moment your adrenaline will be in overdrive making it easy to stumble over your words or forget what you were going to say altogether. Keep it simple. Write down a few points you want to say ahead of time and speak from the heart. Too many times, the guy forgets and just says, “I love you, will you marry me?” The proposal is a great moment to touch upon the following, but not all points need to be covered:

1. Why you love her
2. How marrying her will make your life happy and complete
3. Why she’s the one you can’t wait to spend the rest of your life with
4. What future you look forward to

Last but not least, take in the moment
This proposal may be one of the most nerve-wracking things you do in your life but try your best not to get lost in the planning. You are going to marry your best friend. Take some time for just the two of you to be relaxed and enjoy the moment. The holidays are a time for celebration and your bride-to-be will appreciate you taking her aside to revel in the amazing day you two are having.

Happy Holidays and best of luck!