Christmas tips for new wives staying with in-laws for the first time
As a city woman staying your in-laws for the first time, a lot has to be considered to ensure your stay there is enjoyable and memorable for everyone.
But even with the warm hospitality prepared for your arrival, there are potential land mines to avoid, otherwise you may end up returning to the city earlier than you planned due friction with your in-laws.
Strive to make it an enjoyable Christmas with your in-laws, it is all within your powers.
Here are some vital tips to ensure you survive the festive season at your in-laws.
1. Forget your family’s tradition
Out with the old, in with the new. It’s time to learn some new things so do not start by quoting ‘kwetu sisi hufanya hivi…’ Just take time to learn your husband’s family way of doing things.
2. Do not neglect your boo
With all the festive season hype at your in-laws, your hubby may end up feeling neglected. Don’t try to be the super daughter in-law. Balance your time to ensure your hubby feels the difference of his past Christmases at home as a bachelor and his first Christmas as a married man.
3. Take a breather
As you balance out your daughter in-law and wife duties, do not exhaust yourself. Take some breather to enjoy the new environment. After all it will be the first time you are spending a week or more at your in-laws. Step out to enjoy the views around and by the time you return home you will feel much more relaxed.
4. Do not be the lazy bone
It’s not like you have to showcase your culinary or cleaning skills, just don’t be the daughter in-law who wakes up last. Wake up around the same time everyone else and offer to do some of the chores.
5. Study everyone
They say you never get to learn a person’s true character until you stay around them for long. This is your perfect opportunity to observe and learn what your in-laws love and loathe.
Take your time before chipping into that conversation and first understand the different characters and ways they are using to express themselves.
Drop the chatty nature and be slow to comment until you have fully understood the topic and the participants’ views.
6. Don’t sweat the small stuff
If you encounter an in-law who sees fault in everything you do, try to investigate their genuineness. If it ends up they are just being mean, don’t sweat it. Be nice irrespective of how anyone talks to you. Oh and make sure once you are back to the city you let your man know of things that unimpressed you.
7. Avoid conflict
If worst comes to the worst to the point you can’t stay there anymore, communicate that fact to your hubby privately. Let him offer a solution before your declare you are returning to the city.
This will ensure you avoid any friction between the two of you just because you could not live with his family for long.