By Liberty Starkweather Smith
Do you find it hard to make time for “date night”? Life can be so eventful. So eventful, that days turn into weeks, months, and then all of a sudden you can’t remember the last time you were on a date. I’m a firm believer in making sure that you are conscious about dating your mate.
It’s easy to plan things as a family, and forget to plan things as a couple. In an ideal world, it would be wonderful to have a standing day of the month that was always “date night”. Consider choosing the third Thursday of the month or possibly the last Monday of the month. Whatever day works for you, it is important to schedule it. In my experience, if it’s not on the calendar, it’s not going to happen.
Brainstorm fun things that you would like to do together. (With just the two of you.) Pay attention to one another’s interests so that each party is equally excited for your time together.
Another challenge with “dating your mate” may be the financial toll that a night out can do to the bank account. After paying for a sitter, dinner, drinks, entertainment, etc…the number can add up. Be creative with finding activities that aren’t very expensive.
I’ve compiled a list of my top five date night ideas that are worth putting on the calendar:
1) Dinner & A movie- Choose your favorite series and make your own marathon. Cook dinner at home and choose foods that the movie characters would be eating. EX: Godfather marathon would pair well with spaghetti and tiramisu. Johnny Depp’s Chocolate goes well with, you guessed it, chocolate!
2) Relive the past- Look at old photos or videos and talk about one thing new you’ve learned about your mate in the past year. Old photos of the kids, wedding photos, high school graduation photos, vacation videos, and your baby photos are great ways to get the memories rolling.
3) When was the last time you saw the sun rise? In the Great Lakes Bay Region, we have Lake Huron at our fingertips. We are home to amazing freshwater sunrises and called the sunrise side for good reason. Visit state park or venture out to public access points north of the state park (Killarney Beach, Linwood Beach, etc…) Make sure to check your local sunrise time before you venture out!
4) Host a game night. Who doesn’t love a little competition? (Okay, maybe I’m breaking the ”just the two of you” rule, but being with friends is healthy as well!) Serve snacks and organize a Euchre tournament or bring out the board games.
5) Check out the community calendar. You would be amazed at what there is to do in your own back yard. Our local theaters and art groups offer an amazing array of entertainment. You may even be moved to get in touch with your creative side.
6) Volunteer. Call your local United Way and see what opportunities that they may have available for you. In addition, you could attend a benefit, the local non-profits do a great job of providing a fun night out while supporting a good cause. Find something that is within your budget, and GO! Bonus: You get to spend time with one another and do something great for your community.
In the event that it is just too hard to get away from the house, here is an amazing link to a set of 50+ date night cards! The most important thing to keep in mind when dating your mate is that it’s not about the extravagance of the event, but the time together. Happy dating my friends!