One of my favorite things about Christmastime is the traditions that Matt & I have. Over the years, we have created date night traditions that we both look forward to. There’s something especially romantic about Christmastime. For today’s Girl Talk Tuesday, I’m sharing some of my favorite Christmas date night ideas. Several of these aren’t Christmas specific, so they can also be incorporated into the following winter months. Most of these date nights are either free or fairly reasonable, so anyone on any budget can enjoy!
Christmas Date Night Ideas:
- Christmas lights tour. Who doesn’t love looking at Christmas lights? Most big cities have neighborhoods that deck themselves out for fun every Christmas. In LA, we have several neighborhoods that we visit each year, such as Candy Cane Lane in Woodland Hills or Christmas Tree Lane in Alta Dena. We like to turn on our favorite classic carols and sip hot cocoa while we enjoy the lights.
- Bake/Decorate Christmas cut-out cookies. Matt and I love to decorate cut-out cookies. I guess it’s the adult version of coloring? It’s fun to see what creations you can come up with and compete with each other to see who can decorate the best cookie.
- Visit Disneyland. I know not all of you live conveniently close to a Disney park, but chances are that you do live driving distance from some type of park or zoo that decorates for the holidays. Yes, this is typically a family event… But I think it’s good to treat your inner child to some fun kid-free (if you’re parents) once in a while.
- Build a snowman. If you live in a snowy area, a fun date idea is to create a “Snowman kit” and take your hubby out to build a snowman together.
- Go sledding or tubing. This one is for our Northerners too. Matt and I went tubing last winter and had an absolute blast. You feel like you’re 10 years old flying down the hill with the cold wind in your face.
- Christmas movies at home. Another tradition Matt & I have is to cuddle up on the couch in front of the fire, watching our favorite classic Christmas movies. We pop popcorn, put on our PJs and break out the cozy blankets. See this blog post with our favorite Christmas classic movies.
- Christmas Eve candlelight church service. I never grew up going to church on Christmas Eve because that was our big family party night. Now that I’m in LA, we go to candlelight service every year on Christmas Eve and make a night of it. We plan dinner out at a festive restaurant and come home and open one present each at midnight.
- Go iceskating. This is one festivity you can partake in regardless of your location. We have iceskating rinks pop up all over LA each Christmas and had so much fun going one year with our friends.
- Make a Christmas craft together. Decorate Christmas ornaments or stockings to create a fun memory when you pull out that craft for years to come.
- See a Christmas show. Local theaters always have holiday themed plays/ballets, musicals and concerts. You can count that The Nutcracker will be playing in your town every year.
- Pamper your spouse. After a long day of Christmas shopping, why not spoil yourselves with a spa night at home? Pick up some holiday scented bath products and candles for a relaxing evening in. Pamper your spouse with a massage or foot rub.
- Game night. Prep some snacks (I love puppy chow!) and pull out your favorite board games for a cozy night in around the fire.
- Read a Christmas book together. I love when Matt reads to me. We sometimes choose a book and take turns reading chapters to each other at bedtime for a fun way to spend time together electronics-free.
What are your favorite Christmas or Winter date nights? I love to hear ideas from you! It’s the most wonderful time of the year to cozy up to your man. Love really is in the air at Christmastime.
What I’m Wearing:
Button-up Shirt ($26; 7 different colors) // Cardigan // Ankle Jeans // Boots // Boot Socks
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This is such a GREAT list! Several of these we used to do regularly and lately we have let life get in the way, so this is a great reminder to take the time for each other. It’s SO IMPORTANT!!
Here’s my additions to the list:
Explore your city and appreciate the locals: I grew up in New Orleans and one of my all-time fav things to do in winter was to go to Cafe du Monde for a cafe au lait and then sit on the steps in Jackson Square and watch the street performers. Even more fun when you have a partner there to keep you warm! Serious talent out there from locals. It is fun to cheer them on and support them, and you can really do this in any city.
Winter hiking: We just moved from Boston to Georgia, so instead of our regular snow fun this year, we are planning some winter hiking. I am obsessed with waterfalls, so we are planning some daytrips to the North GA mountains complete with blanket, thermos filled with warm beverage of choice (let’s be honest, COFFEE), and snacks. Time together in nature always seems to “reset” us so after our crazy year, I’m looking forward to this!