Some of my non-gaming friends and family are skeptical about my hobby. When new people I meet find out I play DnD most ask "Why". I always give them the same response. I ask if they have a good imagination, almost all say yes, who wants to be known as uncreative. I ask them if they know anything about Knights, Wizards, Elves, Hobbits, and general medieval life. Usually followed with a "Yes". I tell them playing DnD is like reading a novel, except you get to determine the outcome of the book, you are playing the story. I will describe an encounter for them.
Pretend you are a Knight, you and your friends have been walking through a winding mountain pass all day. The air is cold and crisp. The cold cuts through your clothing from the ever-present gusts of wind. You are weary from the day's travel. The anticipation of a hot meal and rest is consuming your thoughts. The mountain pass you are currently travelling is narrow and you have to walk single file. The mountains rise up on both sides, and there are large rocks guiding your path. The path makes one of its frequent turns, on your left side, the mountains seem to open up before you and you see a beautiful valley with a river running down the center. You are admiring the view. Then suddenly, out of the corner of your eye, you notice something moving. You turn to look, there are two very large wolves twenty feet ahead blocking your path. They begin to growl, you hear more growling behind you, and you turn to see two more behind your group. The lead wolf begins to charge and the others follow his lead. What do you do?
They usually ask a bunch of questions, like do I have a sword or bow. I tell them what they would normally carry. Then they give me an answer, I pull my sword and attack. I tell them that when it becomes a combat board game. I put figures on a grid map designating players and monsters. They can move and do certain actions in turn. Most think it is pretty cool, some even want to try playing.
Like most hobbies, people don't understand if they are not into your thing. I am fully restoring a 1972 SS Chevelle. Body off the frame, thing was in a 1000 pieces in the garage. I am replacing or painting every part. Someone asked me why I was putting so much money and time into such an old car. Then I showed her a picture of a mint '72 Chevelle, then she understood.
My other half did not game when I met her, but she supported my habit. She gave me DnD books for Christmas and my birthday. She reads a lot, so I gave her the Dragonlance series to read followed by the Drizzt books. She started playing Baulder's Gate on the computer and now she plays in the Wed game I run. Sometimes you have to be patient and sneaky, as someone already pointed out, to get your other half to start playing DnD. She still doesn't like strategy board games, but she never will like that type of game.
But I do have some suggestions of things to try, if you think they might work.
