So. Date nights are really fun. And they really help relationships stay close. I love them. Buuuut. Are you tired sometimes? Yes, I am! Too busy to plan a date out? Yes! That’s me. Do you sometimes want to chill? Can I squeeze another yes in here? All the yeses! And, sometimes, you may not have the extra money. Or, what about if you have young kids? That makes it really hard. There is an easier way to have all the fun but avoid the other stuff. I have date night ideas for you!
OK, I’m going to take a side trip. Bear with me. If you don’t know, my husband and I have been racers for several years, primarily in the NHRA. The National Hot Rod Association has been the premier sanctioning body for drag racing since the early 60s. They are the reason why drag racers can go 0 to 330+ miles per hour in a quarter mile and stay alive. We’re huge fans of them. Part of NHRA’s responsibility is track preparation. Track prep includes spraying traction compound on the track, followed by several passes with a tractor that drags old tires over the compound. This creates a sticky surface along the length of the track. Sounds simple, but it’s a lot of work and is a time suck.
Over the past few years, a new phenomenon has arisen:
The events have names like Lights Out, No Mercy, Prize Fight, and Shakedown, and there’s a TV series called Street Outlaws. Spectators pack the stands, and the vibe is electric. No Prep is A Thing. The races are not as structured, and there are fewer rules. And because the track is not as sticky, they are kind of wild. People love them.
So I’m introducing…
No Prep Dating.
Good, right?
There are a zillion ways to do No Prep Date Nights that will suit you and your partner perfectly. And this can work great for friends, too. I would love to do these with a girlfriend!
Here are a few we’ve done. If you don’t like these, make up your own. Many of them don’t even require leaving your house, so they’d be perfect for parents after the kids go to bed. Just set up a monitor and you’re good to go!
Lay a blanket in the yard and gaze at the stars.
A little music is nice. Oh, and a snack, but that’s just us. We always have to bring snacks into it.
Play a game.
We have board games in our basement and that’s where they stay. Haha! But we do this weird thing where we challenge each other with hard spelling words. I already admitted this was weird, OK?
Cook something together.
It doesn’t matter what it is, homemade Tiramisu or brownies from a box. Make something that’s fun for you. This could require a little prep, but grocery stores have online ordering and curbside pick-up or home delivery. That’s almost a No Prep Date Night.
Listen to good music, not as a backdrop but as the main event.
We love picking an artist or kind of music on Pandora, then discovering a bunch of new songs and artists we’ve never heard before. We get into these big discussions about them. Also, we listen to playlists. I belong to a social media group called Rock and Blues Muse; we hear the best songs on those nights when we listen to their playlists.
Have a backyard or patio picnic.
Everything tastes better outside, and add a little music or candlelight on the patio and it’s an instant party!
Have a tasting party.
Buy a few varieties of something that you like – pie, cheese, wine, cured meats, chocolate, whatever – and taste them. Talk about what you like and don’t like.
Read aloud from a book to one another.
We did this almost every night about a year ago. This is one of my great memories, and I can’t wait to find another book to read. We just laid in bed a few nights a week, and Bobby read. When I met him, he was a DJ at a radio station, so he has a great voice. Loooove. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a radio voice; you do have the voice your partner is in love with.
Have Karaoke Night.
You can google any song name and “Karaoke” and you’re good to go. If the key isn’t right, just play with it. I often have to type in “male.” What? I sing in a low register. This is such a great picture. We stayed up until the wee hours that night!
Eat take-out by candlelight.
So romantic and peaceful.
Dance the night away.
We’ve never done this. Who am I kidding?
Look at your wedding video/pictures.
We’ve probably watched our wedding video a dozen times in over thirty years of marriage. We get emotional when we see the people who are no longer with us on this earth. We laugh again at the funny parts, like my mom being seated in the church, then heaving a great big sigh as if it’s the saddest day of her life. It’s great.
So, whaddya think about this No Prep thing? Remember, think no structure. Think fewer rules. Oh yeah. Think wild.
Did I say that out loud?
Here’s another list of great date night ideas. Even if it’s not winter, it’s Ok to stay in during other seasons and snuggle, yeah?
