18 Signs He's Proposing This Christmas

So you and your beau have been together for quite some time now and the idea of marriage has come up a few times. You've talked about your future together, whether or not you want kids and how soon you can adopt that adorable pug you've been stalking on Instagram. You might already live together or you might be saving that for after the big day. Your friends and family know him and his friends and family know you. You've spent holidays, parties and vacations together. You've got love, support and a for sure cuddle buddy. But what don't you have? The ring!

Friends of yours are getting married and your grandmother keeps asking when it's going to be your turn. You tell her, "Nana, don't worry! It's 2016. We've got lots of time before we get married," even though she had four kids by your age. But you can't help and think, when is it your turn? Well, maybe your wait is almost up. You could be starting 2017 with some shiny new bling on your finger. Because 40% of all proposals take place at Christmas. So this could be your year! How do you know? If your guy is showing any of these 18 signs, it might be time to book your manicure appointment!

18 Your Parents And His Parents Are Acting Weird

Chances are if your guy is getting ready to propose, he's probably looped in a few people. Especially if he wants to do it at Christmas when you're surrounded by all of your family members, you can bet that at least one of your parents knows what's going on. Have your parents been acting weird lately? Maybe every time you call your mom she answers in a flurry of excitement, even though you're only calling to ask her how long you can leave uncooked chicken in the freezer for. Or maybe his mom has started subtly asking you about china patterns or is going out of her way to give your left hand a little squeeze whenever she sees you. Parents are not great at keeping secrets, especially when they're big and exciting ones. They just want to be involved! So if your parents or his start acting a little stranger than their normal level of weird, it could be a sign of something big headed your ring finger's way!

17 He's Critiquing Weddings

Remember all of those weddings you had to drag your guy to this year? Sure, you guys had a great time hitting the open bars and the dance floors. But you're pretty sure you saw him nodding off to sleep during the ceremony and texting during the speeches. Now all of a sudden, your wedding date has an opinion. You might be splitting a pizza on the couch when he randomly asks what you thought of the flower centerpieces at your cousin Kim's wedding. Centerpieces? You can't even remember what color those were. But before you fix him with a quizzical look and wonder what he's up to, consider that his brain might be on weddings for a certain reason. So, play along! Humor him and delve into a little wedding feedback. After all, how often do you get to have a conversation about weddings with your man where he's not trying to change the subject after each sentence?

16 He's Cleaning Up His Act

Have you noticed something different going on with your man lately? He's doing the dishes every night as soon as you finish dinner. He's picking his clothes up off the floor before you have to nag him about it. And he's even using that hair gel you told him you like. So what's going on? Is he trying to score brownie points? Well, kind of. He's showing you what a good hubby he's going to be! Guys get it in their heads that they need to do a little last minute work to ensure you say yes when he pops the question. He'd hate to be down on one knee and have you think back to your sink full of dishes and wonder if you're agreeing to a lifetime of that. So he's showing you that he can do better! Sure, it might not last forever. But if you can get a couple weeks of him on his best behavior, take it!

15 Something Is Missing

A pretty obvious sign that an engagement is near is a sudden thief around your household. If your boyfriend is trying to buy you a ring, odds are he's heading straight to your jewelry box so he can figure out your size. Most guys try to be coy about this but end up rearranging your jewelry and making the ring they borrow a pretty obvious miss. So if you come home to a disheveled jewelry box that's missing the topaz ring you always wear, take a breath before you call the cops. The burglar may just be your beau! Of course, some guys are too smart for the borrowed ring trick. They may instead put one of your rings on a candlestick, sliding it down until it makes an indent, and then bring the candle stick to the jeweler. So if your table setting is mysteriously missing a candle, that could be another sign!

14 Bonding Trip With Your Dad or Parents

A lot of guys are still pretty traditional when it comes to the proposal. Their first step, after checking their bank balance to see if they can afford a ring, is getting the official blessing from your parents. Has your guy randomly suggested that you take a weekend to go visit your folks even though you had to drag him there kicking and screaming for Thanksgiving? Or is he suddenly asking for your dad's number so they can set up a time to grab lunch together even though they've never hung out one on one? These are some sure-fire signs that he's got proposing on the brain. Getting your parents' blessing is no easy feat, especially if your beau and your parents don't hang out very often. So cut him some slack and act like it's totally normal that he wants to "go for a walk" with your mom next time you visit home.

13 He's Saving His Pennies

Now this sign is a little harder to detect because there are a million reasons why your partner might be cutting back on their spending. So if the only thing that sounds familiar on this list is that your boyfriend is spending less money, it might not equal proposal. He might actually just be buying himself the new PlayStation. But if he's cutting back on money along with a few other things on this list, it could definitely be a sign! How do you know he's saving his pennies without creeping through his bank statements? Watch his spending habits. Has he been saying no to happy hours or suggesting home cooked meals and Netflix instead of dinners out and a night at the theater? Go along with his spend-thrift ways. Engagement rings are expensive, you know! And if he is proposing this Christmas, he's still got to buy gifts for everyone else on his list so things could definitely be adding up. Take advantage of some free winter date activities, like ice skating or looking at Christmas lights in the neighborhood, to support him in saving up.

12 He Has Mysteriously Won Something

If your guy is not big on contests but suddenly announces that he randomly won something, it could be a sign. If he says he just happened to win a free trip, hotel stay or fancy dinner, that could be his coy way of creating a surprise proposal for you. This is especially true if this mysterious win is for a specific night. "Hey babe, so I found out I won this contest at work for a free stay at a hotel downtown. And it is only for next weekend. How random is that?" Your immediate reaction might be to roll your eyes. Why can't you save the fancy hotel room for your birthday weekend next month? But instead of questioning him, go along with his "random" contest win. If you ask too many questions, he might start to sweat and come clean about the surprise. So don't give him too much of a hard time.

11 He's Paranoid About Home Safety

Has your significant other become really worried about break-ins and home safety all of a sudden? Is he setting the alarm even if you are just running out to buy a carton of eggs or tripling checking all the doors are locked when you leave for work? Maybe he is paranoid because he has left a piece of jewelry worth thousands of dollars hidden in the bottom of his sock drawer. He might run into the closet to check that it is still there a couple times a day and ensure that the bedroom door is closed when you are home. As much as guys are nervous about proposing and actually asking you to marry them, they are just as worried about losing the ring. Once they take it home from the jeweler, most guys can't wait to give it to you and let you worry about keeping it safe.

10 He's Secretive About His Phone

Be careful with this sign! Being protective and secretive with his phone could also be a big sign of trouble brewing. But you know your guy and you should trust your gut. If he is not doing anything shady, his secret phone behavior could just be to try and keep the proposal a surprise. He may have photos of the ring on his phone or recent calls to the jeweler. There is a good chance he has announced his intentions to propose in a group chat and he would hate for you to pick up his phone just as his friend Ben was responding, "About time you put a ring on that, buddy!" He might even be texting your friends to get their opinions on the ring he picked out and his plans for proposing. So give the man, and his phone, a little space so you do not spoil his surprise.

9 He's Bonding With Your Friends

Speaking of texting your friends, your boyfriend may take it to the next level and actually seek your friends out in person. Who knows your better than your best girlfriends? Of course, they're going to be his first stop in figuring out exactly what you want in a proposal. These are the ladies who will tell him you've been dreaming about a princess cut your whole life, hate gold jewelry and would die if he proposed on a jumbotron. So you better make sure your girlfriends know exactly what you like and don't like ahead of time. But don't be worried if your guy casually mentions running into a few of your girlfriends at the bar - it's likely he asked them to meet him there so he could do a little recon. And don't be surprised if your girlfriends are also acting a little strange. They're sitting on a big secret and even though you guys tell each other everything, they really don't want to ruin this one.

8 He's Not Stressing Over What To Get You For Christmas

Is your guy strangely calm when it comes to your Christmas gift this year? Most years he starts hounding you in November to figure out what you want. And when you give him the slightest clue, he won't stop asking questions and ensuring he has the perfect gift wrapped and ready under the tree. But this year? It seems like he couldn't care less about your wishlist. And even if he does remember to ask, he won't press for any details. If you tell your man you want a sweater for Christmas and he doesn't ask you what style, size or exactly which sweater you want, chances are he's already got your gift and you won't be getting a sweater from him. But before you get all upset that your guy isn't paying attention or trying to get you a gift you'll love remember it's because he already has the perfect gift! What's better than a beautiful engagement ring and asking you to be his wife? Sure beats any sweater we've ever seen.

7 You've Talked About Marriage, But Not In The Last Couple Weeks

If you're hoping for a ring this Christmas, we certainly hope you and your guy have discussed marriage before. You should both be on the same page and have an idea of what your future together will look like. You should both know that you want to marry each other long before he buys that ring. So if marriage is something you talk about all the time but he's suddenly mum on the subject, what gives? Well, he might be trying to throw you off the scent. He doesn't want to ruin the surprise proposal so he's decided to steer clear of any marriage-related topics for the next little while. Don't take his lack of marriage talk too seriously. Trust that you're both still thinking the same thing you were last month. Funny enough, even though he's not talking about marriage out loud, he's probably thinking about it now more than ever.

6 He's Planned Something Special For Christmas

If your guy decides not to go down the mysterious contest win route, he may have you commit to other special plans for Christmas. There's a few ways he could go about this. First, he could tell you that he has a surprise for you and to keep a certain day free. This approach is easy for him, since it doesn't require much lying, but it does make his proposal pretty obvious. Alternatively, he may be very devious and tell you that you have to go visit his great-aunt on a specific date. But the great-aunt visit is just a ruse and he actually has an elaborate dinner all planned. Either way, he'll bring up his plan weeks in advance to make sure that you don't double-book. How awful would it be if you missed your own proposal because you schedule in after work drinks? So he'll put it on your calendar and keep checking that you're still free that day. Just smile and pretend like you don't know he's up to something.

5 He's Getting Sentimental

Your guy knows that he is about to take a leap and ask you to spend the rest of your life with him. Of course, besides being nervous, he is feeling a lot of other emotions. And since he can't exactly share the source of his anxiety with you, it may come up in different ways. A lot of soon-to-be proposers will spend a lot of time going down memory lane. He may pull out old cards or gifts you have exchanged or even spend time scrolling through all of your Instagram posts together. Allow him to reminisce and help him remember all of your great moments together. He may also want to talk more about the future since he has got your future together on his brain. Reassure him that you are on the same page and also thinking about your future together. Don't bug him about his new found emotions, just go with it!

4 He Wants To Cruise Jewelry Stores In The Mall

If you're out doing your Christmas shopping with your beau and he is the one to suggest you head into a jewelry store, that is a super sign he is thinking of proposing soon. He may try to play it off as just a casual browse or pretend that he needs your help finding a gift for his mom. So play along! Head in there with him, browse around and casually point to a few things you like. He'll be paying extra attention so now is the time to speak up about how much you love the halo style rings or colored diamonds. Another huge sign that your guy is close to proposing is if he abandons you midway through your shopping trip and you find him in a jewelry store all alone. He may be picking up your ring! So act dumb and pretend you didn't just see him slip a little box into his coat pocket.

3 He Confirms Your Favorites

Most guys want to make a big deal out of the proposal. He's seen the videos online and heard the stories of how all of your girlfriends had these huge romantic engagements. So he wants to make sure he nails it. And that includes adding all of your favorite things to the experience. If he wants to propose over dinner, he'll want to make sure that you're eating your favorite dish at your favorite restaurant. So in the weeks leading up to the big event, your boyfriend may start double checking all of your favorite things. "You said you liked peonies not roses, right honey? Just checking!" It's not the most subtle way to figure out what you love but it is very sweet that he wants to incorporate all of your favorites into the big moment. Play along and give him the answer he's looking for so he can plan that perfect proposal.

2 He Suddenly Knows All About Jewelry

Does your laid back, jeans and t-shirt wearing boyfriend all of a sudden know all about jewelry? Is he dropping terms like "carat" and "clarity" with an idea of what those mean? All this from a guy whose only piece of jewelry is a watch his parents gave him for his college graduation. Pretty impressive, right? Well, chances are your guy has been hanging around a few jewelry shops and has picked up the lingo. He may be slipping these words into conversation to try and get your opinion on a ring he has his eye on. Odds are, the jeweler asked him what shape gemstone you like and his face came up blank. So now he's back home, with a new list of vocabulary, to pick your brain. So help him out and give him a few examples of jewelry pieces you're into it. But take it easy! Remember he's new to the jewelry world so don't overwhelm him with too much information.

1 He's Acting Nervous

The number one sign that a guy is going to propose is how nervous and weird he gets in the weeks leading up to the big moment. That's why girls always say, "No wonder you've been acting so weird!" as soon as he finally reveals the big surprise. And his weird behavior is totally understandable. He had to emotionally come to a place where he knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you. That's a pretty big step. And then he had to plan out an entire proposal. He had to save up money, buy a ring, talk to your friends and family, and plan a perfect proposal experience that you would love. He had to find the perfect time and he had to hold onto the most expensive piece of jewelry he's ever owned. And he couldn't tell you about any of it! That's a lot of stress. So it's no wonder that he's been a bit more anxious and out of it than usual. But as soon as he gets that ring on your finger, it will be all big sighs of relief and even bigger smiles. Congratulations!