Creative Christmas Date Ideas

Has the busyness of the Christmas season taken a bite out of your time with the person you care about the most? December is often packed with commitments and extra responsibilities, and while many of these activities are fun, they can cut into the quality time you spend with that special someone.

Planning a Christmas date allows you to reconnect and enjoy the season together rather than rushing from one thing to the next. Put one of these date night ideas on your calendar to ensure that you get some quality time together this December. You may even start a new tradition!

Tour the holiday lights. While there are plenty of light displays that you can drive through for a fee, there’s a good chance that there’s a brightly-decorated neighborhood nearby that you can enjoy for free. If weather permits, view the lights on foot—there are few things more romantic than walking hand in hand down sparkling streets! If not, fill a thermos with hot chocolate and take a self-guided driving tour.

Get baking. Few things get you in a festive mood quite like baking Christmas cookies can. If you’re not big on measuring and mixing, pick up a package of prepared cookie dough and break out the red and green sprinkles—just be sure to remove any diamond rings before you get your hands in the dough. After your creations cool, consider delivering them to friends and family together or a taking a tray or two to a deserving organization in your community.

Go sledding. It’s hard to feel stressed about your holiday to-do list when you’re flying down a snowy hill with the one you love. Find a toboggan or another sizeable sled so that you can ride together and get ready for a lot of laughs (and maybe a few screams). Once you get tired of trudging back up the hill, have a snowball fight or head to your favorite coffee shop for a warming drink.

Construct a gingerbread house. Getting creative together is a great way to bond, and it can be a ton of fun! If you’re feeling ambitious, bake your own gingerbread; if not, build your house out of graham crackers and purchased icing. (You can even use a small cardboard box to give your house stability.) Decorating your house together allows you to fuse your personal styles and then admire what you’ve created by working together.

Plan a fireside picnic. Christmas is the perfect time for a picnic by the fireplace. Spread a blanket nearby and enjoy a leisurely meal as you watch the flames dance. (Or, if you don’t have a fireplace, eat by the Christmas tree.)The food doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy—try fruit, cheese and bread or purchased fondue and dippers. If you have a gift of romantic jewelry up your sleeve, consider presenting it when you finish eating to cap off an evening that won’t soon be forgotten.

Don’t let the season go by without spending some quality time with the one you love most! Try one of these date ideas to reconnect and create a Christmas memory.