Say it with… chocolates. The ultimate gift to impress the new in-laws

When one woman was tasked with meeting her boyfriend’s mum for the first time, she knew she had to come armed with something impressive… 

We’ve all been there. It’s gotten to that stage in the relationship where if you leave it any longer to meet the in-laws, it just gets weird.

You’re the name they’ve been hearing about for the past year, the one their only son has been spending all his time with, the reason he visits home less often.

You’re the other woman, so to speak, in his life. Especially when his mum refers to you as ‘that Dublin girl’.

Lir Chocolates has launched a new range, just in time for Christmas. Photo: Lir Chocolates

The time has come. He tells you you can’t let another Christmas pass without visiting his hometown, and meeting his mum.

You’re mostly fine with it, your throat only half closes now at the thought of it. Except you can’t help feel a twinge of anxiety when you’re reminded that visiting his hometown requires you to stay the night – in his mum’s – which means it becomes a night and a morning, and probably the following day too.

Will she make you sleep in separate rooms? Will she place a pea under your mattress? What should you wear? More importantly, what will you bring?

She doesn’t drink, so a bottle of plonk is not an option. She likes to cook, so bringing a side is off the table.

Dessert is the only thing left. And you can’t bake to save your life. Store-bought treats it is.

Three new truffle pouches: milk chocolate, salted caramel and dar chocolate are available now. Photo: Lir Chocolates

But it can’t just be any store-bought treat – it has to say ‘nice to meet you’… ‘thanks for having me’… ‘I promise I’m worthy of your son’… ‘I promise not to take him from you’…’I made such an effort picking out this luxury gift for you’ and ‘I have exceptional taste’ all in one.

My options were limited. But even hard-to-please mum-in-laws like chocolate, right?

So ladies and gents, allow me to reveal the ultimate ice-breaker, the MVP of chocolate treats, the tastiest, most indulgent, luxurious and mouth-watering truffles you will ever buy – and ones that will garner you serious brownie points from whomever the recipient.

Lir Chocolates has just released a whole new range, containing two bars – dark chocolate mint and salted caramel; three pouches – salted caramel milk chocolate and dark chocolate; and three truffle boxes – salted caramel, almond and hazelnut and champagne. Eager to impress, I bought them all.

Phoebe Buffay meets boyfriend Mike’s parents in Friends. Photo: Warner Brothers

The drive to his mum’s felt like forever, and it took all my strength not to crack open the dark chocolate mint bar on the way. But powered through I did, dressed in my finest Phoebe-Buffay-meets-Mike’s-parents-outfit.

I was greeted with a hug – more anxiety-inducing emotions – and was welcomed inside with a ‘you’re not afraid of dogs, are you?‘ followed by a steady look.

This was the ultimate test. I myself, do not trust people who don’t like dogs. This was my in.

So we bonded over doggos – three of hers, one of mine – childhood stories of my boyfriend, her favourite music, which also happened to be my favourite music influenced by my dad, and of course, truffles. Salted caramel was her ultimate fave – luckily I had bought the whole Lir collection!

We ate and laughed the night away, and brought the dogs out for a walk the next morning. I left her with the leftover chocolates, and she sent me home with homemade rhubarb pie.

And reader: I married him.*

*Kidding, we’re still courtin’. And eating truffles together. 

Lir Chocolates are available from Supervalu, Tesco, Eurospar, Centra, and airports now. Buy online here.