We’re officially entering the busiest time of the year, with every new month leading up to a major holiday, and endless family gatherings sprinkled throughout. There are parties to plan and attend, presents to buy, and holiday cards to send out.

And if you’ve recently started dating a new guy, who you’ve yet to introduce to your family, then the holidays are the time of year when everyone expects to meet your new beau. But with taking this step comes some stress. After all, we just want everyone to get along, and for our new boyfriend to put his best foot forward. 

But the worries start to pile up. What if things don’t go well? Are there introduction “rules” we should try to follow? How can we just make sure it all goes smoothly?

Make Sure Everyone Is Aware He’s Coming

There’s nothing more jarring than when an unexpected guest shows up at a family gathering, especially if the host had been planning for a specific number of people, easily leading them to be annoyed by every unannounced guest’s presence. While your boyfriend might treat them with kindness and graciousness, some people don’t react as well to spontaneous changes to plans.

Even if your decision to bring your boyfriend along is last minute, letting the host know as soon as you can will get everyone off on the right foot and leave less room for totally avoidable awkward encounters.

Clue Him in on Any Family Dynamics

You know your family’s dynamics: your aunt’s weird philosophical rants, your…