Image: Sidney

Winter is here and the same holiday festivities are back in action. Santa’s village, ice skating, lighted botanical gardens, the complete holiday works are in full swing for a fun and festive season with loved ones. Crossing the holiday season with your significant other is like a right of passage. You almost HAVE to do the ice skating, cookie decorating and watching of the Lifetime holiday movies to really test the bonds of your relationship. If you’re looking for these types of dates, check out this other holiday date post I have HERE.

Now, I love ice skating as much as the next person, and these Christmas town dates are absolutely traditional but I’ve done all of that before with my partner. What else is there to do? I began looking into some non-traditional holiday date ideas to break the holiday date pattern. Here’s my list of nontraditional, yet festive, holiday date ideas.

1. Podcast and Hot Chocolate

Podcasts are a hit and miss crowd and let me tell you, I was a miss for a while until I stumbled upon some REALLY good freakin’ podcasts. They’re like audio books. Hop in the car, go grab some hot chocolate, and find a spot that you can park for a while. Maybe that’s 5 miles up the road, maybe it’s literally in your driveway. Bring blankets and maybe a snack. Sip on your hot chocolate together and enjoy the story coming out of your speakers. My two favorite podcasts recently are Dr. Death and Dirty John. Not very Christmasy but have a really good storyline.

2. Head on a (mini) Road Trip

Pick a spot just outside of town. Grab a bite and maybe stay the night if you’d like but just drive, blast Christmas music and spend some quality time with one another. I have a favorite pizza place I love that’s about an hour and a half out of town. It’s a perfect little day trip.

3. Hot Chocolate Critics

You always hear about how people have a favorite hot chocolate they only visit during the holidays because their hot chocolate is just THE BEST. Well, find your own hot chocolate. Go to 5 different cafes that serve hot chocolate buy a cup to split and find your favorite one! ***7/11 hot chocolate is a force to be reckoned with, I’d put that on your list. 

4. Learn to Dance

I took 17 years of dance and my favorite way to learn to dance was in the living room, with a low-quality youtube video, a bottle of wine and my dancing partner. If you want to be fancy and go out and buy dance lessons that is totally fine as well. Whatever fits your fancy dancy.

5. Make homemade pizzas with WILD toppings

The world is your oyster. This is a no judge zone. Your pizza is your master piece. If you want mushrooms on a white sauce pizza with peppermint and mustard no one can stop you. Be sure to write down what you use, who knows, if it’s tasty enough it could become a holiday tradition for you.

6. Wine down and Wind-down

Image: Sidney

The holidays have us all crazy so why not take a moment to just be. Create a little meditation station with fuzzy blankets, candles, and pillows. Turn off all of your electronics (except the device you’ll be using for your meditation) and let the meditation take you through a journey. I really like Ali Owens Selfless Self Care since it focuses on the love and joy you feel after doing something kind for someone else and how you can release those endorphins as an act of kindness to yourself. Relational meditation can allow couples to feel more vulnerable in each others presence leading to more open communication, increased honesty, and a less frantic approach to life. Afterward, wind down with a glass of wine. Share some stories, and find something out about one another that maybe you didn’t know before.

7. All things Holiday night!

Share your favorite holiday recipes, movies, music, and traditions with your S.O. Cook the recipes, watch the movies, dance to the music, and share stories of some of your favorite holiday traditions. 

8. Run in a Holiday Themed 5K

There are so many races that capitalize on the Christmas season. In my area alone Ive seen the gingerbread run, a Christmas PJs 5K, and the Great Santa Run with over 10,000 runners. Let’s burn off those calories before we put them back on this holiday season. Get your rear in gear and dress the mart to the MAX. Afterward, you can celebrate with a warm cup of hot chocolate.   

Holiday dates are always fun but if you’re looking for something that’s not so cliche then I hope you were able to find this post useful. Any date ideas I missed? What nontraditional dates do you partake in during the holidays?