The holidays are coming, and we’ve seen most of it before: being delayed in airports getting home or being stuck in winter traffic, posing with Santa for the best picture ever or waiting in line so our nieces or nephews could, and drinking way too much eggnog, or way, way too much.

But one scenario many college students haven’t experienced before is bringing home a significant other to join in on the fun. For some, it could seem that adding a stranger to the mix of oddball, rather eccentric aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents could be a feat not worth battling.

Against the odds though, some brave boyfriends and girlfriends will take that risk this holiday season. Many will be bringing home their significant others, hoping to get through the family dinners and the gift openings and make it out alive to the new year. Three couples were willing to share their experiences.

Carlos Perez Beltran, Caracas, Venezuela, junior, is a veteran when it comes to spending the holidays with his girlfriend’s family. Sylvia Niccum, Olathe senior, and her family have invited Beltran into their home for the past two years to celebrate Thanksgiving. Niccum said she wasn’t worried about what her family was going to think about Beltran when they first met him.

“My family is very easy-going,” she said, “but I was glad when they said they liked him.”

Beltran said the way his family and her family celebrated Christmas wasn’t very different, except for one thing.

“In Latin America, family comes first,” he said. “Not that it’s not the same case in the U.S., but back home one would not consider spending Christmas away from home. Hence, I have never spent Christmas in the U.S., but my girlfriend has spent several away from her family.”

Niccum has accompanied Beltran to Venezuela twice for Christmas, and the turnout was very successful — Beltran said his family would love to have her back.

Although the previous holidays went smoothly, Beltran said he was going to do one thing differently this year.

“Last year I bought her family one present, and I ended up getting gifts from each one of her family members, so I felt really bad,” he said.

Although Niccum and Beltran will not spend Christmas together this season, he is planning for better present etiquette this year and said he was going to buy small gifts for each of her family members.

Unlike Beltran and Niccum, Megan McClure, Manhattan sophomore, will be spending the holidays with her girlfriend’s family for the first time this year. McClure and her girlfriend, Lindsay Tippett, Tempe, Ariz., senior, have met each other’s families only briefly before.

“She’s going to introduce me to her brothers, family lifestyle and old friends,” McClure said. “I’m way excited.”

Because McClure met Tippett’s family earlier this year while moving Tippett into her Lawrence apartment, McClure said she thought she had already made a good impression with her girlfriend’s parents.

“They can see how happy Lindsay is with me,” she said.

McClure said that her parents wouldn’t have a reason not to like Lindsay and that she wasn’t too nervous about them meeting her, although it wouldn’t be for the holidays. McClure, who was confident going into the chaotic season of the holidays at a new family’s house, had advice for others in the same situation.

“Help out if you see the opportunity,” she said. “Being friendly is key, and having a sense of humor doesn’t hurt.”

Michael Beam, Shawnee sophomore, will also spend the holidays with his significant other. His family has invited his girlfriend of five months, Jennifer Macan, Kansas City resident, to its home for the first time.

“I am excited to have her at one of our family gatherings,” Beam said.

Another addition to his parent’s house this season will be Macan’s 15-month-old son, which thrills Beam’s parents, who both love kids. Because the house will already be full of grandchildren, Beam said everyone would mesh really well.

“The only thing I’m worried about is my Dad’s talking,” he said. “He talks a lot, and sometimes it’s inappropriate.”

Other than that, Beam said his girlfriend was looking forward to spending time with his family, and they with her.

— Edited by Rachel Bock