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Date Night

September 19, 2008 2 Comments

It’s Friday which means it’s Date Night at the “Beguiles” house! My husband and I have been gravitating towards stay-at-home Date Nights for the last few months. I’m not able to leave the baby just yet and the trouble we would have to go to in arranging a babysitter for the older children, and the cost of paying her, make the idea of staying home quite appealing. With an at-home Date Night we can put the baby to sleep and have one-on-one time which is always such a treat. Of course, I realize the benefit of have a night on the town but in stages of life that don’t easily facilitate that we have found that staying at home together can still be quite romantic and fun. Here are a few tips I’ve picked up over the years.

 
 

  • Just Do It. Even if you’re not feeling it. Are you tired? Have you been fighting? This is the night to caffeinate and let bygones be bygones. Kiss and make-up, you two!
  • Annihilate Distractions! Turn of the phone, the pager, the computer, anything that threatens to distract you. Date Night is just for the two of you.
  • Dress up! I even think wearing a cute nightgown could be fun but don’t just wear any old sweatpants or whatever else you’ve been wearing all day. This is a real date after all! Shower, do something nice with your hair and put on a little lipstick. A splash of your nicest perfume couldn’t hurt either.
  • Set the Mood. We happen to love candles so I like to fill the room with them. We love music, as well, so we always start the night out with something romantic. Ella Fitzgeraldis one of our favorites. She always manages to put us in a romantic mood. Dim the lights and relax.
  • Toast to You. Start the night with a toast. Have a drink (if you drink) or some other sort of special beverage (if you don’t). Just make sure it’s something that you might not normally have. Make it special! You don’t want this evening to feel just like any other.
  • Dance. If you’re the dancing type. Don’t force it, of course, but married couples often don’t have the same opportunities to slow-dance together that they did before the wedding. Slow dancing with your spouse can be a great way to keep the passion alive.
  • Eat Up! Make sure dinner is delicious and not at all labor intensive! This would be a good night for take-out. We usually alternate between ordering Thai food (strong spices never hurt a romantic evening!) or having a smorgasboard of sorts. We love stopping by Whole Foods during the day and picking up a bottle of wine, a baguette, cheese, fruit, one of their speciality salads and a dessert.
  • Picnic Time! This is one of my favorite parts of the evening. We either drag our mattress into the living room or make a huge bed out of blankets and pillows on the living room floor (which happens to be directly in front of our television). It’s another fun and unusual thing we do to make this evening different from the rest. We start our evening by eating our dinner picnic-style on the bed. Don’t forget to feed your love a morsel or two!
  • For Your Amusement. Each couple will have their own idea of fun. We usually either rent a movie or play a board game. If we are feeling energetic and silly we often opt for the game. If we are feeling a bit sleepy and/or particularly romantic we opt for the film. Occasionally we will try something new and fun. We once made a homemade hot tub by filling up the kid’s blow-up swimming pool with hot water and putting it out under the stars.
  • Light’s Out! We often camp out in the living room rather than moving back into the bedroom. It’s just one more way to set this evening apart from the others. I’ll let you determine how your Date Night proceeds from here on out.

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    I think far too often couples with limited funds or a new baby think that Date Night need be put on hold for the duration. Not so! I think we’ve had more dates in-home than on the town in the last 5 years and we always look forward to it. Make romance a priority. Your marriage will thank you.
    2 Comments
    Filed Under: Advice, Love and Romance, Marriage 2 Comments
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    Comments

    1. amysfinerthings says:
      September 20, 2008 at 4:09 pm

      Thank you for the reminder to keep marriage first, even during "crazy" seasons of life. Good ideas!

      Reply
    2. Jenn @ Spejory says:
      July 6, 2009 at 2:34 pm

      These are really great ideas! The one about the homemade hot tub—I'm wondering why I didn't think of that? We have talked for a few years about getting a hot tub but funds don't currently allow. I think my husband would love it if I surprised him with this some evening.

      I also love stay-at-home dates. At Aldi they have inexpensive individual shrink-wrapped tenderloins for about $2.99. I buy two of those, we grill them and have them with our baguette and cheese.

      Reply

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