Friday, February 08, 2013

Creative Date Ideas

We are a week away from the big day.  You know, V-day.  Love day.  Valentine's Day!  ;-)

Some may argue that its a commercial holiday made up by card companies, jewelers and restaurants to encourage the general public to overspend in an effort to impress their significant other.  To an extent I respect that theory.  It had become over commercialized.  But so has our culture in general, so its no big surprise.  I prefer to find simple, inexpensive ways to make my husband feel special and naturally I encourage him to do the same.  ;-)

The 2010 movie Date Night portrays an out of touch married couple trying to spice things up with a fancy date in the city.  And while the antics that follow are comedic and extreme, the rut the couple is in at the beginning of the movie will be all too familiar to many married couples.  It does not have to be that way, people!

I do not think that a lot of money has to be spent.  I do believe that time needs to be invested in our marriage relationship in order for us to sustain the love we share.  It won't always feel like the exciting newness we had in the beginning.  But it grows over time and through trials and we love one another more now than we did when we were first married.  It is only because we purposefully set aside time to devote to one another that we are able to grow closer to each other.  So, I would encourage all married couples to do whatever you need to in order to carve out that time.  If you cannot afford a babysitter you can swap babysitting with another family or have naptime or after bedtime dates.  If you cannot afford fancy dates then you can get creative and go to free museums, cook at home or use coupons when you dine out.  Be intentional and find ways to be together intimately.

Dating Divas post creative date night ideas all the time.  I love seeing their themed date nights!  So fun and creative (and usually inexpensive too).  They have printables and activity ideas that would appeal to a variety of interests.

Modern Parents Messy Kids has a fun post with ideas for a Daytime (in some people's case a "naptime") Date.  Pair some cheese and fruit with a little afternoon delight maybe?

Redbook shares 100 Date Night Ideas.  Wow!  They range from  taking a bubble bath together to heading to a jazz club, to making ice cream sundaes together after the kids go to bed... and many more great ideas!

A friend of mine pinned a list of unusual date ideas on Pinterest.  There are some really creative (albeit a little weird) things to do together on this list.  Check it out here.

Time Warp Wife shares candidly about how we often become lazy (I know I do) when it comes to looking nice for our husbands.  She certainly doesn't encourage wives to parade around like prom queens... but really, I think we all can tell a difference in how we feel and how we are seen when we take a few minutes just to put ourselves together instead of staying in our pjs all day like we all would like to do.  ;-)  So, especially when you are able to have a date night, take the time to wear something you feel good in and do your hair up nice... because he is worth it!  And so are you!


“Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” -1 Corinthians 16:13


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