Ready for an etiquette lesson? ALWAYS bring a gift when you’re meeting up with your partner’s family. It shows you have manners and that you care (and those are two massive things that all parents want to see in their child’s partner). However, there are some (read: VERY few) occasions where not gifting them anything is also totally okay! Figure out the ins and outs of gift giving with this handy guide:
You’ve Been Dating a WHILE
This pretty much goes without saying – if you’ve been with your partner for at least a few months then yes, you need to give a gift for birthdays, holidays and the like. Beyond it being proper etiquette, it’s a nice gesture that one would assume you’d want to make because you care about these people.
It’s a Holiday Dinner
If you’ve been invited over for a dinner (and it’s a holiday too), you absolutely should get your partner’s family a gift! You’re about to be wined and dined by these people, so it’s only fair that you show gratitude through a present of some kind. Not sure what to bring? A bottle of wine, dessert or something pretty for the kitchen are always great ideas!
A First Time Visit
She’s taking you home to meet the parents for the first time? Head to the flower shop and the liquor store before you get there because giving a gift is mandatory. It’s just bad form to show up empty handed (and this is all about making a killer first impression). Some flowers for mama and a bottle of her father’s favourite spirit would definitely fit the bill.
Holiday Lunch Out
There are some exceptions to getting your partner’s family a gift (not many, but you can get away with it every so often). Should you be invited to a holiday lunch at a restaurant with them, you might be able to forgo the presents! Lunch out is a bit more of a casual affair, so any kind of expectation on you to bring something tends to disappear in this scenario.
It’s Your 400th Time Visiting
Some visits require a gift of some kind, but when you get to the point that you can’t even count how many times you’ve been over, the gifting is no longer mandatory. A dessert or bottle of wine every so often is always appreciated, but by visit 400 you don’t have to get your partner’s family a gift.