Tis the season…the season to get engaged, that is! Thanks to El Nino, the weather has probably been either unseasonably warm or unseasonably cold for you this holiday season. But the holidays have arrived all the same.
The lights are up, the gifts have been exchanged and friends and family everywhere have come together to enjoy the holiday spirit, no matter what holiday(s) it is you celebrate. And for some lucky couples this holiday season has – or still might! – meant something even more special. I’m talking, of course, about getting engaged. Courtesy of The Knot, here are seven wonderful wedding proposal ideas to make your holiday season the best one ever!
Make Every Day Count
This one is great for anyone with a mind for arts and crafts. It draws inspiration from Christmas Advent calendars, but even if you don’t celebrate Christmas there’s not really anything to stop you from creating a holiday countdown calendar. Who says you can’t make your own rules and traditions?
The idea is to create a calendar with little windows or pouches that reveal important relationship memories or markers and reasons you love each other. December 25 is obviously the place to put the cubic zirconia engagement ring if you celebrate Christmas – if not, put it in whatever holiday you do celebrate or even go with New Year’s Eve. (For instance, anyone who celebrates Hanukkah can have each day of the holiday build up to bigger and more important moments until you spring the ring on her on the last day.)
Be sure to wait until just before you show her the calendar to put the ring in and to fit it in there securely.
Dreaming of a White…Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/New Year’s
Is your hometown buried under a picturesque mountain of snow? This makes for an easy but classic winter proposal. Write yours out in large, bold lettering in the snow in a special place your partner can’t possibly miss. The most popular way of doing this is to dig the question out with a shovel. But you can also take things up a notch by carefully arranging holiday lights, poinsettias or red roses.
Want to get even more creative? Get Frosty involved. I’m talking about building a snowman and using some strong branches for his arms. Then hang a basket or tray of some sort from the arms and place the ring in it. This is another scenario in which you want to be really careful when placing the ring. Make sure the arms and tray are sturdy to avoid it falling and getting lost in the snow.
Add a touch more romance to it by placing flowers in the basket or just hanging the ring from a ribbon on one arm and placing flowers in the snowman’s other arm.
New Year’s Eve Countdown
The best thing about this is that everyone everywhere celebrates New Year’s, so no matter whom your special someone is, he or she will be ready for a big celebration when the ball drops on Jan 1. If you’re going to a big party let all the guests know ahead of time that you want to work your proposal into the countdown. When it reaches 1, have everyone go quiet and mute the TV/speakers. That’s when you turn to your partner and pop the question. On her “Yes!” turn the sound back on and have everyone celebrate the newly arrived year and newly engaged couple.
Party for Two
Not big on the huge crowds and noise for New Year’s? Make your own winter wonderland at home and throw an intimate party just for the two of you. Go all out with champagne and a fire and prepare the best meal you possibly can. When the clock strikes midnight, you know what to do.
Fa-la-la-la-la
Plan a romantic night with some cider, cheese and holiday sweets near a warm fire and have some friends and family members come by to carol holding signs that read “Happy Holidays!” When they finish their song, have them flip the signs around to reveal “Will you marry me?” as you bend a knee.
Deck the Halls
Draw or write down the best moments from your relationship on ornaments or other decorations and set them out. On the tree topper or other holiday centerpiece write “Will you marry me?” You can wait to set that one out until she’s seen everything else first or put everything out at once for a true wowing effect.
Secret Santa
If your partner loves you for your humor, then this is a good choice for you. Dress up as Santa and ask the local mall if you can fill in temporarily as Santa. Then have a friend bring your special someone to the mall and convince them to get her to sit on Santa’s lap as something that will be silly and fun. Then surprise her by proposing when she sits on your lap. Again, only try th