Hello ladies! I’m a nervous wreck so bear with me.

My partner and I have been together for just over 2 months, so we’re still new and getting to know each other. So far he has been absolutely amazing and everything I’ve ever dreamed of in a man. Kind, confident, handsome, and a natural-born alpha. I can go on about him but let’s move on... This morning he texts me saying his mom invited me to Thanksgiving and the first thought in my head is “holy sh*t”.

He and his family are Italian-Americans, I’m a first generation American whose parents immigrated from an Asian country. I didn’t grow up celebrating traditional American holidays, so I’m not well-versed on Thanksgiving tradition especially when it comes to meeting the boyfriend’s parents for the first time on that day. So I would like some help on making sure I act accordingly to ensure I make a good impression. Ladies who have mastered Thanksgiving with the “in-laws”, I have a few questions:

1) I would like to bring a gift, what would be appropriate? 2) While I’m there, how can I show that I’m more than a “lazy guest”? I don’t know how to correctly balance between being helpful around the kitchen and coming off as a try-hard. 3) Any and all Thanksgiving traditions I should know about that is relevant to making sure that I don’t mess this up (he is a keeper after all).

Thank you in advance! If I’m missing any key details please let me know. I’m writing this past midnight so I’ll reply to comments after I wake up.

EDIT: I love this community so much. Thank you all who replied, all of your advice is extremely helpful and I took in a lot of great information. I’ll keep you posted - I want to exchange Thanksgiving stories with you all! Thank you again. 🌹