Happy Sunday! As the weather gets chillier (and Covid numbers are on the rise) I’ve been looking for more fun “date night” ideas that can be done from the comfort, warmth, and safety of our own home. I recently turned 24, and one of my traditions every birthday is to reflect on the year and set new goals. One goal I set was to put time aside weekly for something special for my husband and I, whether it be ordering takeout or doing something together. Being long distance for most of our 5-year relationship, I’m really jumping at the opportunity to spend some “us” time more often.
But, as you can imagine, that’s been a lot harder to do in this, the year of our lord 2020. Ricky and I are both still taking Covid seriously, even though most of the country seems to have gotten bored with the restrictions. Over the summer, we allowed ourselves to eat out only if outdoor seating was available, after making sure the restaurant followed proper safety guidelines. I’m an at-risk individual, so we have to be extra cautious.
Before Covid, we used to go out to eat all the time when we’d visit each other, along with movie dates at the theater and shopping trips. But now, we have to get a little more creative. So, here are a few stay-home date night ideas to make nights in with your person just a little more special!
- Order takeout and have a romantic candle-lit dinner
Support a local business, light some candles, and enjoy the delicious meal someone else cooked! We’ve been ordering pizza at least once a week, trying as many local places as we can to decide on our favorite. Pick a restaurant or pizza parlor, order delivery or takeout, and settle in for a romantic, dirty-dish-free date night.
2. Cook a new recipe together
If cooking for yourself is more your speed, find a new recipe and take a crack at it together! I’m fairly new to cooking, so I appreciate any and all help he can offer me in the kitchen.
3. Paint and wine night
This is something I’d love to try, but I’m hesitant to with my beige carpeted apartment. But how fun would it be to sit down with some wine (or your drink of choice) and a paint tutorial video on YouTube—I’m thinking Bob Ross or something similar—before comparing paintings with your person?! That would be adorable!
4. Have a backyard picnic
I, unfortunately, don’t have a backyard right now—but I do have a balcony patio, and when the weather gets a little warmer I fully intend to use it for picnics outside! Before the weather turns, pack up some of your favorite picnic treats—hello, charcuterie boards—and enjoy a meal outside with your love!
5. Make a dessert for two together
I love baking. When I was a kid I used to help my mom bake m&m cookies every Friday, so I’ve always equated baking with unconditional love. It’s one of my favorite things to do, and I definitely plan on having a baking night soon! Plus, you get to eat the sweets you made after, so really it’s an all-around win!
6. Have a Video Game night
I’m not a huge video game person, but Ricky enjoys playing some games. Every so often I’ll sit out and watch him play, but a fun date night idea would be to find a multiplayer game to play together. It would be especially hilarious if you’re as bad at video games as I am, so long as your partner isn’t super competitive!
7. Host a book club for two
I don’t know how into this Ricky would be, honestly, since he’s not much of a reader—but I saw this idea online and loved it! The idea is that you’d pick a book to read together and spend time talking about it, but I think it would be sweet if you read the book out loud together. This is something I definitely want to try one day!
8. Build a blanket fort
You’re never too old for blanket forts! Grab some blankets and pillows, get cozy, and settle in for a movie! Which brings me to…
9. Have a movie marathon
Truly nothing is better than a good movie marathon. Pick a theme—whether it’s a Marvel MCU night, a particular actor, or a genre—and settle in to watch as many as you can in one night. Pop some popcorn, grab a warm drink, and get comfy!
10. Binge as much of a show in one night as you can
If movies aren’t so much your speed, pick a show to binge and see how far you can get! We’ve got a few shows we watch every night—Brooklyn 99 and The Mandalorian right now, but we’re almost caught up on the latter—but a fun idea would be to pick a show and see how far you can get in one sitting—like a movie night, but shorter!
11. Play some board games
Board games are some of the best ways to pass the time without technology, and I love them. A good classic game of Life or Sorry! makes for some friendly competition. Just try to avoid Monopoly!
12. Play a card game
Ricky and I have an intense competition going with Uno. We like to play it just the two of us, and we kind of bend the rules a bit, but things get very competitive, very quickly. You can play a classic card game like Go Fish or Texas Hold ‘Em, or you can go with a more modern game like Cards Against Humanity or What Do You Meme and change the rules to fit your two-player needs. Sometimes we like to go through and play CAH just to see what ridiculous card combinations we can come up with, without a real “winner”—get creative!
13. Have a craft night
Speaking of getting creative, a craft night is a fun way to spend time with your person! Get on Pinterest and search up some beginner DIY crafts and have at it. If you’re crafty to begin with like me, you might already have everything you need, but if not, check with your local craft store to see what delivery/curbside pickup options they have!
How do you like to spend date nights at home? Let me know in the comments!
A Fresh Startt 