According to a survey by The Knot, December is the most popular month for marriage proposals. 16 percent of those who asked “will you marry me” did so in December. Digging a little deeper, Christmas Eve is the number one day for proposals, followed by Christmas Day. New Year’s Day is the third most popular day of the year to pop the question.

Part of the reason for this might be because the Christmas season is just so gosh-darn romantic! Christmas lights, cold weather making us all snugglebugs and so on. It could also be due to convenience. When far-flung family and friends are all gathered together to celebrate, it’s a great time to propose so everyone can celebrate the newly engaged couple.

While it’s great to have everyone around to celebrate, what does one do if one wants to propose in a quiet way while still being part of the group? I’m reminded of a story I read years ago about a young man who proposed to his girlfriend on Christmas morning, in front of his whole family, whom she had met for the first time on Christmas Eve. While the young man really wanted his family to be involved, he also wanted the moment to be special for just him and his girlfriend. What to do?

Cleverly, the young man gave his girlfriend a present of knitted mittens. Little did she know that inside one mitt was the engagement ring. When she tried on the mitten, she gasped, they locked eyes, and she tearfully said yes. The moment was quiet and special; a secret between just the two of them, even though they were in a room full of his family. I love this story because he found a way to propose that was comfortable for her and felt right to him.

Some people love the joyful party atmosphere of New Years Eve for their proposals. The celebration of new beginnings is a favourite time for getting down on one knee. Whether you prefer a quiet, private proposal or want a showy, public surprise proposal (think hockey scoreboards with “will you marry me Beth”), remember to keep things romantic. The idea is to choose a venue and moment that feels right for you both, keeping your feelings and her/his reaction in mind.

We are truly honoured to be the choice of engagement ring designers for so many couples who are planning to get engaged. Believe it or not, there are many couples who come in to design the woman’s engagement ring together. While this might take a bit of surprise out of the proposal, keep in mind that your fiancée will be getting a ring design that she truly loves. And of course, the time and location of the proposal can be a fun and romantic surprise.

With this in mind, good luck to all planning on getting engaged this holiday season!