Top 12 Christmas Day Proposal Ideas

Christmas is a wonderful time of year. It’s full of joy, generosity and love, and it’s when we come together with our families to give gifts and enjoy each other’s company.

And when you’re sat in front of a crackling fire, surrounded by hundreds of twinkling lights and all cuddled up watching Christmas movies, it’s also a super romantic time of year. That’s why it’s a hugely popular time for couples to get engaged. So, if you’re considering asking your partner to marry you this Christmas Day, go for it!

But, what’s the best way to propose on Christmas Day? How can you use the festive period to your advantage to pop the question in the most memorable and romantic way?

In this post, we’re going to give you 12 Christmas Day proposal ideas so you can ask your beloved to marry you and have a festive season you’ll never forget.

Is it popular to get engaged on Christmas Day?

Yes, Christmas Day is an exceptionally popular month for couples to get engaged. Our annual UK Wedding Report found that in 2021, more than a quarter (26%) of all engagements took place in December. Out of all the couples who got married in 2022, the top four most popular dates those couples got engaged on was 25th December in 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018.

This might sound surprising, especially when you think about how Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve have romantic and mystical connections. But, there’s just something about the magic and warmth of Christmas, as well as the feelings of love and generosity at that time of year, that draw those looking to pop the question to this one special day. As the song goes, it’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Should you propose on Christmas Day?

Just because Christmas Day is the most popular day for a proposal doesn’t mean it’s something to steer clear of. Clearly, there’s something special about getting engaged at Christmas that makes it so appealing.

Whether or not you choose to propose on Christmas Day depends on you, your preferences, your plans for the day and your budget. Christmas is notoriously an expensive time of year, and with the average cost of an engagement ring being £1,978, you might not have the funds to spare for a festive proposal.

Proposals are usually romantic and intimate, and the hustle and bustle of a family Christmas can sometimes get in the way of one-on-one time. If you know you’re going to have your aunt and uncle around with their six kids, a proposal might not be quite as romantic as it would be if there weren’t excitable little ones running around.

It also depends on how you and your partner feel about Christmas. If you love Christmas, you might not want to share the date you got engaged with something as widely celebrated as Christmas. Or, perhaps that’s what makes it so special for you. 

Whatever you choose to do, just make sure it’s right for you and your soon-to-be fiance.

For more information, read our post on how to propose on Christmas Day so you can make sure your magical proposal goes down without a hitch.

Why is Christmas Day such a great day for a proposal?

If you’re on the fence about proposing on Christmas Day, there are a bunch of reasons why it makes for such a brilliant day to ask one of the biggest questions of your life. Just some of the reasons why Christmas Day is a great day to propose on are:

• It’s a magical time of year when people get together and give each other gifts. Why not make one of those gifts a sparkly ring, and the recipient the person you want to spend the rest of your life with?
• Despite being the most popular date to get engaged on, it’s often not seen as cliché like Valentine’s Day or 29th February.
• A lot of people have time off around Christmas, which gives you time to make sure everything’s perfect.
• You might spend a lot of time around family and friends, which gives you a great opportunity to tell everyone your amazing news in person.
• Christmas is hugely romantic with plenty of cosy nights in, amazing food and a drink or two to set the scene.
• Is there anything more suitable for a proposal than a wintry walk across a snowy landscape? The weather might not always do what we want it to, but just imagine the photos if it did!

12 romantic Christmas Day proposal ideas

1. Pull a one-of-a-kind cracker

A popular Christmas tradition happens around the dinner table up and down the UK, in the form of pulling crackers to reveal a cheesy joke, a paper hat and a BANG! Except, why not ensure your entire Christmas goes with a bang by concealing an engagement ring inside your partner’s cracker? A few little cuts to weaken your side of the cracker will make sure your partner wins, then when they dig their hand inside to find the toy, they’ll receive a lot more than they were expecting.

2. Customise your partner’s advent calendar 

If your partner has an advent calendar and loves tucking into a chocolate or little treat every day throughout December, why not customise your advent calendar this year so the 25th door has something extra special inside, in the form of a beautiful engagement ring? You could even build up to the big reveal and hide something personal or romantic behind every door throughout the month.

3. A Christmas pudding surprise

Traditionally, a sixpence used to be hidden inside a Christmas pudding, and whoever found it would have luck and happiness for the next year. Why not put a spin on this festive tradition and, instead of a sixpence, craftily conceal an engagement ring inside your partner’s pud instead? Just make sure it’s not too well hidden, because they might crack a tooth on a diamond if they don’t realise it’s there.

If your partner isn’t a fan of Christmas puds, a ring can just as easily be hidden in a mince pie, chocolate log or sherry trifle instead! Just make sure you have a cloth so you can give the ring a bit of a wipe before they put it on, or better yet hide the ring in a small, clear bag.

4. Get down on one knee in the snow

Christmas morning is a brilliant time for a walk. You’ve opened a few gifts, the potatoes are roasting in the oven and there’s a crisp layer of frost clinging to the leaves outside. Sounds like the perfect time to head out to your favourite spot to propose.

5. Use a custom Christmas card

You and your partner might exchange cards that have soppy messages inside and lots of hearts, but why not reserve another card to give to them on Christmas Day? Imagine their shock when they open the card and on the front it says, ‘Will you marry me?’ Then, they look up at you and you’re getting down on one knee with a ring in your hands. Bliss.

6. Use mistletoe to your advantage

Using mistletoe to grab a cheeky kiss with your partner is not exactly unheard of. But, you could ramp things up and, instead of just an ordinary kiss, you could use it as an opportunity to pop the question. They’ll never see it coming!

7. Hide an engagement ring inside a bauble

When the time comes to put up your Christmas tree, why not hide your engagement ring in plain sight inside a bauble? That way, your partner will spend weeks with the ring right there, but with no clue what you’re about to do. Then, when the moment’s just right, hand it over to them and change both your lives forever.

8. A present inside a present inside a present…

This one is really annoying, but if the two of you have a playful relationship it can be a lot of fun. Wrap the ring box in boxes that get progressively bigger, so to get to the centre they have to unwrap present after present. It’s funny and frustrating, but once they get to the ring that’ll all be forgotten and it’ll definitely be worth it.

9. Ask them with Christmas lights

You could wake up early on Christmas morning and sneak downstairs in true Father Christmas style so you can make use of some spare fairy lights. If you tape or pin them carefully to the wall, you can spell out WILL YOU MARRY ME? in beautiful, twinkling lettering. Think of it a bit light Stranger Things, but a lot more romantic.

10. Get kids or pets to help

If you have kids or pets, recruit them as Santa’s little helpers and include them in your proposal. You could slip a baby grow onto a little one that says something like. ‘Mummy, will you marry Daddy?’ or loop a ring around a bow that’s tied around your beloved dog’s collar.

11. Spell it out with Christmas cookies or cake

There’s nothing quite like Christmas cake, cookies or gingerbread men at Christmas. With some extra icing and a talent for decoration, you could ask your partner to marry you spelled out on a festive treat.

12. Christmas morning breakfast in bed

A surprise breakfast in bed is a lovely way to wake up on Christmas morning, but you know what can make pastries, fresh fruit and orange juice even nicer before opening some gifts? A lovely engagement ring sitting right there on the napkins.

Alternatively, many couples gift each other a stocking at Christmas, which is a lovely way to give each other smaller presents that they may open in bed. As part of this, include the engagement ring at the bottom of your partner’s stocking to give them an unforgettable start to Christmas.

If you propose early, you can then spend the whole of Christmas day as an engaged couple!

Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook

After your Christmas Day engagement, you’ll be ready to start planning your wedding. Sign up to Bridebook and use our helpful tools and resources to plan your perfect big day.

You Might Also Like…

• How to Propose on Christmas Day
• 20 Things to Do After You Get Engaged: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Announce Your Engagement: 20 Top Tips and Ideas
• Jesse & Andy’s Perfectly Enchanting Christmas Themed Wedding

Happy Planning!