Couples Date Guide: Holiday Dates

The couples date series is a guide to organizing a day or event to keep the passion alive between you and your partner. The date guide will walk you through how to setup the beginning and middle so you get the perfect ending.

It’s the holiday season! Time for parties, shopping, holiday music, chillier weather, Santa and eggnog. No matter what you celebrate towards the end of the year, the holidays are a special season and a wonderful time to go on some creative holiday dates! I love dates. I love the holidays. Put them together, and you’ve got holiday-centered dates that I love for three reasons:

1. The holidays only come around once a year! Which means certain things are only available or take place during this time. It makes these kinds of dates more special!
2. The holidays tend to create memories and/or traditions. Holiday dates can turn into holiday traditions between you and your partner for holiday seasons to come!
3. They are versatile. Whether you live in New York with winter snow, or in Florida with sunshine, you can do the same type of holiday date even though it may look a little different. But you can do them anywhere!

Holiday Date Ideas

Before we talk about how to plan a holiday date, let’s talk about different types of holiday dates! Thinking of these ideas makes me happy and makes me want to go on all of them with my boo.

Drive around to look at Christmas lights

o   Did you ever do this as a kid? I used to love cruising around in the back of our family’s minivan going into different neighborhoods looking at all the pretty lights. Do the same thing with your date! Pick some neighborhoods or roads and go for a little cruise. Or pick one neighborhood and stroll through it on foot together! This kind of leisurely date creates an opportunity to hold hands, listen to some holiday jams, and enjoy each other’s company during this special time of year! And with this idea, you can also…

Taste test hot cocoa

o   I wrote about doing a taste testing date before, and you can do the same thing in the holidays with the holiday type foods/drinks! Whether it’s hot cocoa or eggnog, you can make a full date out of taste testing some holiday treats! If you go with the idea above, feel free to bring some holiday cheer to sip on while you look at lights. Or just taste test your way through the holiday yums! Speaking of holiday yums…another holiday date idea is…

Bake cookies and watch a holiday movie

o   Some people have a tradition of making holiday cookies with their family, friends, or even solo. I have been the lucky recipient of plates of cookies from those people! But another holiday date idea is to bake cookies with your partner and then cuddle up to watch a holiday movie. Nothing beats a home that smells like cookies and involves snuggling with the one you love!

Get or decorate a tree

o   Even if you don’t live with someone and are newly dating, you can still do a tree-related date during the holidays. You can buy a tree together or just decorate a tree together. If your date has a little tree at their apartment, decorate it with them (if they’re open to it). It will be a memorable, as well as productive, date!

Make a gingerbread house together

o   I asked my fiancé last night in the grocery store, “would you want to build a gingerbread house?” He responded by saying, “I’d rather just eat a gingerbread house,” which is hilariously typical of him. But it got me thinking that this could be a fun, stay-at-home holiday date night, by first building a gingerbread house and then eating it together…and you can take it up a notch in that way by putting pieces of the gingerbread house on each other and eating off each other. I like delicious ways to start some sexy time.

Shop for families in need, donate together

o   A great bonding activity is to do something for others, together. Find an organization you both like and support it. Whether it’s buying gifts for a family in need, volunteering, or something else – making a date of it is a great way to spend quality time together doing something good for others!

How to Plan this Ahead

The holiday season is a finite period. Whether you believe the holidays start the day after Halloween or the day after Thanksgiving, you only have 4-8 weeks to make these dates take place. So, you want to think about the following:

Availability

The holidays usually involve busier-than-usual calendars, so make sure you plan for your date so both you and your boo are available for it! The holidays can also mean crowds

Weather/Appropriate clothes

Particularly if your holiday date is outside, make sure you check the weather! Dress warm enough (or cool enough) depending on where you live.

Crowds/parking

This can take an awesome night and put a little damper on it if you don’t plan ahead for crowds and/or a crowded parking situation. Make sure you leave early enough to deal with potentially heavy traffic flow as well as extended time to find parking. You don’t want to miss whatever your holiday date is by running late due to traffic or no parking!

“All the things”

Depending on the date you choose, make sure you have whatever supplies, transportation, food/drink, and other ‘things’ you need to bring it to fruition!

How Does this Date End?

The holidays often make us reflect on who and what we have, which makes us grateful. And when we feel grateful, we often feel more ‘lovey.’ So, if you plan a holiday inspired date night and you both connect over how lucky you are and how special this time of year is, there’s a high likelihood you’ll have a holiday date happy ending!

Step-by-Step Guide for Planning a Holiday Date

Here’s your condensed guide for how to plan a holiday date!

1. Pick one of many fun holiday activities to do together.
2. Make sure you and your partner are both available, since the holidays usually means a lot of events and busy calendars.
3. Research the weather for your date/time. Make sure you and your date are warm and comfy!
4. Leave early to accommodate any heavy traffic and/or parking challenges.
5. Make sure you have everything you need for whichever holiday date you choose!

Holidays are special enough on their own but sharing holiday dates with someone you care about makes them even more special. Enjoy making memories during this wonderful time of year!