The holidays are a wonderful time to announce your engagement to the love of your life! Everyone is already getting into a celebratory mood, ready to party, ready to focus on the good parts of life—and your impending nuptials can be another one of those wonderful things. In order to make it a real highlight of the season for everyone you know, check out our tips for planning your holiday engagement announcement.
Gather for a Family Dinner
The first people you want to tell about the engagement are your family members and close friends. Chances are, some of them may find out about it on Day One, right after one partner pops the question, and the other says “yes.” However, if you can hold on to the secret a little longer, you can share the news in a bigger, more festive way.
First of all, gather your immediate family (from both sides if they’re local) and nearby relatives for a family dinner, maybe with a game night to follow. You can announce the engagement at the end of the dinner if you’re not sure how some will react. Or, if you’re positive everyone will be enthusiastic, go ahead and spill the news at the beginning of the meal.
For a fun twist, write your announcement on a game card and sneak it to the top of a deck, or include it in the rule booklet or in some other part of the board game. If you’re playing charades, incorporate the engagement announcement into the game and give everyone a joyful surprise.
Host a Big Holiday Party
When you’re ready to let all your friends know about the engagement, you can host a big holiday party, complete with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails or finger foods and beer, depending on how your crew rolls. Pump everyone up with music, food, and laughter, and then make a toast announcing your engagement. That’s when the party can really start!
Plan a Festive Activity
If a big holiday party is too much stress, or if you don’t have the space or budget to host a lot of friends, you could plan a holiday activity instead. Get everyone together for bowling, ice skating, arcade games, horseback riding, or a snowy hike followed by hot chocolate and a bonfire. When you’re all gathered, let everyone know your good news!
Other Ways to Announce Your Engagement
Of course, not everyone you love and admire will be able to attend your engagement celebration in person. For parents that live farther away, a phone call or video chat is a good way to share the announcement. If there are children from a previous relationship or from your current one, tell them first, and then inform the parents on both sides, either by phone or at a family gathering.
You’ll also need a print or email announcement, something you can post on social media, email to friends, and send by regular mail to those who’d prefer a printed copy as a keepsake. In Part Two of our guide to planning your holiday engagement, we’ll talk about fun photo ideas and the perfect setting for your engagement announcement photoshoot.
