Date Night ideas?

[OneHotMomma]

Okay, so my husband has been extra helpful around the house lately and is working longer hours at work because we need the extra money. I want to do something special for him. I've found on pinterest the idea to make a basket with 12 envies in it.
Ideally, I want to put an idea for dinner (and a giftcard if it's for out), an activity, and a cute little note in each one. On the outside I want to write each month of the year (one per envie). Twelve envies = 12 dates/ one per month: One years worth of date nights. I may have a few extra if I can do them at home and they're inexpensive. A few dates out ar okay but it's hard for us to get a sitter and we're trying to save as much as we can.

A few ideas I have are:

- Drive-In and Fried Chicken: We have a local drive in and I'll make fried chicken and dessert we can take along and enjoy together.

- Backyard gourmet: I'm going to put a white sheet over a table on our back porch and set out candles. I'll set the table with our fancy dinnerware and make his favorite meal.

- Ice Cream Social: We'll make the biggest, craziest ice cream sundaes we can think of.

- Twister: I'm going to make the circles from colored paper and have a homemade twister night, just for two.

- Board game night: Put the kids to bed and have a board game night for ourselves.

- Movie Marathon: I'll make pizza and popcorn and we'll watch movies together after we put the kids to bed. (I'm not sure about this one - seems kinda dull, we always watch tv together after the kids go to bed.)

[abond0017]

This is a very cute idea. You are definitely on a good track.

Do you have a fireplace? If you do, you could spice up your movie marathon night by making a pallet on the floor in front of the fire while you watch movies. Maybe have some cocoa after the popcorn. And then sleep there all night if you want by the fire.

If you don't have a fireplace, maybe just change the ambiance by watching movies by candlelight?

How about a massage? Since you say he has bee working hard, there is no doubt some extra stress has built up. You could give him a whole body hot oil massage. Baby oil works fine and it is cheaper than the oils specially sold for massage. You can even get the lavender one so it is more relaxing.

You could also give him one "repeat date" envie that gives him the date night of his choice. For that one of course, and so it doesn't end up being truly anything he wants and possible cost a bunch of money, it would probably be best to make it his choice out of the dates included in the envies. So best do it for next December's envie so he has a choice to repeat any one of all of the other 11 dates.

You could also throw in one where you agree to do something with him that you have never done cause you really don't like it. For example, if you hate watching football games and never watch them with him, make a date where you have a football watching date with super bowl type finger foods and all. The point is to do something with him that hasn't interested you in the past, but you know he would like for you to do with him.

That is all I can think of for now. I'll post back if I think of anymore.

[OneHotMomma]

These sound great, I'll have to add them to the list. I'm going to put my envies together soon.

[mom2lucas]

That's a great idea! We work really hard to get date nights in because our kids are little, and some of that spark gets lost in the daily life sometimes. I might have to borrow this idea.

Does your area offer free outdoor concerts in the warmer months? My area has tons of free or low cost music festivals when it's warm. I love going to an outdoor concert and having a little picnic with my hubby while we listen to some new music from locals. You would have to get a sitter for that, but if the show was free it might offset the cost of the sitter.

[OneHotMomma]

That's an awesome idea! I'll have to check it out and see if there's anything like that here.

[leqet]

That's a great idea! We try to have date night once a week but it usually ends up being every other week when we actually go out and most weeks we just do a movie and popcorn night at home.

Here are some ideas:

Sledding, snow boarding, skiing, ice skating, etc. Sledding areas may be free if your area has a big snowfall. Pack a thermos of hot chocolate, coffee or hot tea (chai is nice) so you don't have to pay coffee shop prices.

Go hiking in a local park with a picnic lunch (better in the spring/summer of course).

Be a tourist in your own town--take in free art and history museums or just go around town and ask random people to take pictures of the two of you in front of popular landmarks in your town. Or if your streets are empty take pictures of each other doing crazy things.

Take in a play/musical/concert at the local school--school preformances are usually free or cheap compared with professional theater.

Rent a canoe, kayak, boat or raft and go for a trip down a river or in a local lake. Pack a picnic lunch of course.

Go skating or rollerblading. Free if you own your own skates.

Go biking to a local park.

Take public transportation somewhere if you live in a big city and usually drive. Or take a train to a bigger city if you have a train depot in your area. Sometimes the adventure of getting somewhere can be a fun date all on it's own--take the bus downtown and buy hotdogs from a hot dog vender or gyros or whatever you find in the city, walk around holding hands like newlyweds and then ride back home on the bus/train/subway.

Go to the beach. Even if you don't live near the ocean many states have man-made lakes with beaches you can go to in the summer.

Visit an international market together and pick out some new exotic fruits and veggies you don't normally eat. Then go home and make dinner from the new foods. If your not an adventurous/creative cook then look up recipes before you go.

[Jen1]

great ideas! I like the fireplace one. The twister one sounds interesting too. lol

[abond0017]

great ideas! I like the fireplace one. The twister one sounds interesting too. lol

I was gonna post another idea about the Twister, but I don't think it would be appropriate if there is a risk of little ones getting up out of bed and wandering around the house. Lets just say, you would have one more use for the baby oil.

[Jen1]

[OneHotMomma]

I was gonna post another idea about the Twister, but I don't think it would be appropriate if there is a risk of little ones getting up out of bed and wandering around the house. Lets just say, you would have one more use for the baby oil.

I may have to use this on the night they spend at Grammies.