It’s the most wonderful time of the year! If you love the holiday season (and unless you’re the Grinch, who doesn’t?), there’s no reason you shouldn’t incorporate all that cheer into your dates with your partner. If you’re not sure how to do that, here are some Christmas-themed dates to try that are a whole lot of fun and an opportunity to create memories you’ll enjoy for years to come.
- Go ice skating. The ice skating rinks are a great way to spend time together and get that Christmas-y winter vibe! Also, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been on three dates or you’ve been together for six years– ice skating is just plain fun! Put on those skates and get out on the rink. Even if you both have to hold onto the railing, use this as a chance to laugh together. Hand holding is encouraged! After you’re done skating, drink some hot cocoa to warm up. Of all the Christmas-themed dates, this might be the most popular, for good reason!
- Try something from a different culture. Obviously, if you’re looking at this list, you’re looking for something new to try. But consider looking for ideas outside of your own culture. Start by googling holiday traditions in different countries and see if there are some that you’d like to try. For example, in Iceland, it’s tradition to gift books on Christmas Eve and then stay up all night reading and eating chocolate together. Get some inspiration from countries around the world and find something that you’d like to try out with your partner.
- Watch a performance of The Nutcracker. Nothing says Christmas quite like the sugar plum fairy, after all. This ballet is a holiday staple, and if you haven’t seen it before, now’s your chance to show it to your date as well. The ballet is so beautiful, and by attending, you get to support your local ballet company. Plus, it’s a little something different than going to see a movie. This is another of the best Christmas-themed dates you could try.
- Build a gingerbread house. Gingerbread houses are a festive decoration at this time of year. Why not build one with your partner? You can make gingerbread at home and cut out the shapes yourself, or you can buy a pre-made kit from the store so you can focus on decorating. You could even take your boyfriend to the store to buy the candy before you start decorating. And don’t forget the icing! If you want even more of a challenge, you can make it a competition. You decorate one house and your partner decorates the other. Then let your Instagram followers vote on the final winner! (That is unless your gingerbread house collapses halfway through.)
- Go for a midnight walk. There’s just something magical about late nights in winter. Take your boyfriend for a late-night walk this Christmastime. Enjoy the quiet and peacefulness after a long day. Or, if you’re not in the mood for a walk in the middle of the night, maybe you could go for a walk earlier in the evening to look at Christmas lights. Make sure to bundle up!
- Bake a ton of Christmas cookies for the local nursing home. Baking with your partner can be so much fun, especially when you’re baking cookies together. It’s up to you if you want to enlist their help from start to finish (finding recipes, shopping for ingredients, mixing the cookie dough…) or if you want to prep all the ingredients beforehand. Once you’re done baking and decorating all the cookies (and sampling a few!), arrange them on paper plates and cover them with foil. Then you and your partner can take them to your local nursing home for a special Christmas delivery!
- Visit a Christmas craft show. This is another of the great Christmas-themed dates you can try. Take some extra cash and check out your local craft fairs this Christmas season. It’s a great way to support your local artisans and get some quality time with your partner. You can use this as a chance to get some Christmas shopping done, or you can shop for ornaments to put on the other’s Christmas tree. Then finish it off by going back to your place to wrap your newly acquired Christmas gifts.
- Make a giant Christmas playlist together. All of us have our favorite Christmas music from our childhood years. Why not make a giant Christmas music playlist with your partner? This is an excellent thing to do while you’re doing something else like wrapping gifts or baking cookies. And, don’t be afraid to share the memories behind certain songs!
- Take a snow day. Playing in the snow isn’t just for kids! If you live in a warmer climate, you might have to take a road trip to the nearest snow. If you live in a colder state, you might be able to have this date in your very own backyard. Build snowmen, make snow angels, and go sledding together. When you’re done with the snow, head inside and drink some hot coffee in front of a fireplace (or pull up a video of a fireplace on your TV). It will be the cutest date and you’ll both get to feel like kids again. Plus, it’s a perfect chance to take pictures for your Christmas cards this year.
- Host an ugly sweater party. You and your boyfriend could co-host an ugly sweater party, or you could attend someone else’s event. Either way, nothing says Christmas quite like a bunch of ugly Christmas sweaters. Combined with some of the other ideas on this list, you could make it a giant holiday bash, or more of a relaxed double date. Make sure to take lots of goofy pics with your boyfriend in his light-up llama sweater.
