Ladies, the Holidays are an excellent time for those of you who are in more serious or new relationships to vet. I've noticed some posts on here recently of talking about "HVM" who are doing either the bare minimum or worse, are behaving terribly. So I think some examples are in order.

The holidays can bring up a lot of stress for people, show how they interact with their family and are also a perfect time to assess someone's generosity, thoughtfulness, and care. I recently attended Thanksgiving with my boyfriends family, and I was able to see how the men in the rest of his family treat the women.

Something I noticed across the board, from his uncles to his elderly grandfather, was the way they not only cooked, but cleaned after every meal. They also insisted on giving FULL credit to whichever woman was the head of the household, but quietly cleaned, served desserts, and cooked.

Other GREEN FLAGS to watch out for.

-Wanting to contribute to gifts not just for you, but for your family. For example, "I'd love to help you shop for/pitch in on a gift for your parents, siblings, etc." this should be unprompted. If they care about you, they care about making a good connection/impression on your family.

-Asking about or considering gifts for you - I love gifts. My boyfriend knows this. His gift should reflect your tastes, and in my opinion, should be a significant investment if it is a serious relationship.

-Checking in as a couple - the holidays are stressful. If you're meeting his family, does he ignore you and leave you hanging ? Or does he make sure you have time to debrief, check in, and stand by your side throughout? I had to work while visiting his family, and he made sure I had a quiet room to work in, brought me coffee and lunch, and gave me space to decompress.

-Are you a priority? This speaks for itself. If a man truly cares for you, he will find a way to make you a part of his life throughout the holidays, and will want to be completely engaged in yours. No matter what stressors come up.

I hope this helps. I don't want this post to sound like a ~bragging~ scenario about my man, I am still vetting, especially since we have discussed getting engaged. I just thought this might help as some examples! Have a great, safe, healthy holiday season ladies! <3