The excitement and magic of the holiday hustle and bustle is over and now we are in the dreary, gray days of winter. There is not much going on in January and February, which can be refreshing. This is a great time to up the date nights and keep the flame alive in your relationship. Maybe you didn’t stay as connected as you wanted to over the holidays. It’s okay. Sometimes life pulls us in directions that we can’t help. Now is a great time to up the date nights and spend more time together.
Here are some great ideas for winter dates:
Get Outside
1. Ice Skating
Bundle up and lace up the skates at your local ice skating rink. Don’t know how? Take lessons together or teach each other to make it fun.
2. Go sledding
Find the biggest hill in your area and go sledding.
3. Play with your pet in the snow
Take your dog out and play with them in the snow. Everyone will get some exercise and they will bond with you even more during playtime.
4. Have a snowball fight
Go outside and have a snowball fight, then come in and warm up with a mug of cocoa or coffee. You could also make a crockpot of soup and get the fixings for sandwiches to eat as well.
5. Stargazing
Either take a walk outside or sit on the porch and gaze up at the stars. Enjoy the sparkling sky and the peace of a winter’s night.
Stay Indoors
6. Game night
Choose what kind of game you want to play (cards, board, video) and have a fun and competitive game night. Don’t forget the prizes!
7. Have a “no tech” night
Turn off the phones, don’t watch television or play video games, and focus on each other for an evening.
8. Have an indoor picnic
Set up an indoor picnic on the living room floor with wine (or sparkling cider if you don’t drink) and wine glasses. Add some soft music and flowers for a romantic mood.
9. Bake together
Nothing makes a house smell like home more than warm baked goods. This is one of my favorite things to do in the wintertime. Pick out some cookies, brownies, bars, or another dessert you would like to bake together. To make it more fun, decorate cookies or try your hand at decorating and writing on a two-tier layer cake.
10. Have a candlelit dinner at home
Make something delicious, dress up, or put on your pajamas, and have a cozy, romantic candlelit dinner at home. Add a yummy dessert and some soft music to dance to for a great romantic evening.
11. Write a bucket list together
Sit down and write a bucket list together of things you want to do and places you want to go. Then pick three things and make plans to make them happen. When you accomplish those, move on to the next three, and so on. This will help you have things to look forward to together and make sure you take the steps to accomplish what you want.
Be Active
12. Go bowling
Hit the local bowling alley and roll some strikes.
13. Go roller skating
If you can find a roller skating rink in your area, go take a lap. This is a nostalgic memory for many people, so talk with your partner about your favorite memories at the rink when you were a child or a teenager.
14. Go dancing
Go out dancing or take dancing lessons together. If neither of you can dance, decide on what dance you would like to learn and sign up to take lessons. If you know how then go out and tear up the floor! This is a great way to have fun, get some exercise, and burn some calories.
15. Take a class together
If you and your significant other have similar interests, take a class together. In case you don't, each of you can select one of your interests and enroll in a class together. This will help you learn more about your significant other and their interests.
Relax
16. Visit the spa
Have a relaxing day at the spa. This can get costly, so look for coupons online or special deals on their website.
17. Hot cocoa on the porch
The next time you get snow, bundle up with cups of hot cocoa, sit on the porch, and enjoy watching the flakes fall.
18. Get away for the weekend
Find a cozy bed-and-breakfast or swanky hotel and go away for the weekend. This is the perfect time to reflect, recharge, and refocus on each other.
Check Out the Local Spots
19. Look on Facebook for fun community events
Hop on Facebook and look for local community events that are coming up. This could be a gold mine in finding events you would not know about otherwise.
20. Go to an Expo
Look around your local area and see if there are any expos going on. Expos can be about all kinds of things, from home improvement to exotic pets to guns and ammo.
21. Go to a concert
Winter is a great time to go to a concert. It’s something to do indoors that is a lot of fun. If you’re into Christian music, Winter Jam is a great option and very reasonable price-wise to attend.
22. Browse a bookstore
Do both of you love to read? Go to a bookstore, either a chain or independent, and get lost in paper and ink. Even better, grab a cup of coffee from the cafe if they have one.
23. Visit the cat cafe
Love animals? Check out a cat cafe. We have one in our town and I love going there. You pay a fee and get to hang out with 18-20 cats. The cost of admission covers the cost of taking care of the cats (food, litter, supplies) and running the cafe. All the cats are adoptable and come from local rescues. Have a serious discussion about pet ownership before you go because I guarantee you will fall in love with one of those sweet, furry faces.
24. Go out for dessert
Instead of going out for a meal, make something delicious at home and then go out for a luscious dessert. To make it more fun, choose a kind of dessert by season. Winter? Go out for a warm dessert like a warm chocolate chip cookie with ice cream or a piece of warm apple pie with ice cream. (Summer? Go out for a cold dessert like a milkshake with lots of toppings or to an ice cream shop with lots of unique flavors. Fall? Go out for a fall-flavored dessert like caramel apple cake, pumpkin pie, or gingerbread.)
25. Go to a local show
See what shows your local community theater is putting on. You don’t have to shell out massive bucks for superb entertainment.
26. Pretend to be tourists
Do you realize that most people who live in large cities for a long time never get around to going to tourist attractions? Make a list of tourist attractions in your area and go check them out. You may find your new favorite museum, shop, coffee shop, or restaurant.
27. Visit a local museum
Visit a local museum that you’ve never been to.
28. Go to an art gallery
Love art? Go to a local art gallery or see if your local community college has any art on display that you can go see. When I was in college, there were several artists who came to speak and set up their work for others to enjoy.
29. Revisit the place where the two of you met.
If it’s workable, go to the place where you first met and reminisce. Talk about the first time you saw each other, your first date, your engagement (if applicable), and your wedding day (if applicable). Talk about how your life is different now than it was when you met and all the special moments in between.
Winter can be cold and dreary, but these winter date night ideas should spark ideas for your next date night.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/simonkr