Christmas idea for OH's...

[salj1980]

So, having found this lovely idea for a Christmas present for OH's http://shannonbrown.typepad.com/life_in_general/2011/01/lets-go-on-a-date-january.html I decided to steal it (In a nutshell, it's 12 sealed envelopes, to be opened each month, with a pre-planned date night. Can be as simple/cheap or as extravagant (ha!) as you like, depending on how easily you can get a babysitter).

So, our date nights will be:

- Takeaway and a movie
- Tenpin bowling
- A Scrabble tournament at home with a few friends
- Dinner out at an excellent Chinese restaurant near my mum and dad's
- An evening in the garden stargazing whilst snuggled under blankets with hot chocolate
- A trip on the 'Real Ale' train event on our local steam railway
- A walk up to and picnic at the local castle ruins (where we went on our first date)
- A walk along the local canal for 2 miles to a nice picnic spot, (hopefully canoeing back if I can persuade one of the lads I work with to drop a boat off for us!)
- A dinner party at home with a few friends
- A night out at a comedy club or a gig (depending on what not-too-expensive events are on closer to the time)
- A night in making the Christmas pudding together
- A night in putting up the Christmas decorations (a bit of a cheat, we do this every year but I'd lost inspiration bu this point, may change in beforehand if I think of something else!)

I'm also buying OH (and Little Man) a set of these - a bit cheesy and twee but so cute! http://twistedtwee.co.uk/pint-set-army-toffee-p-218.html (I love this website, there are some insanely funny/weird creations!)

Just thought I'd share!

[Rahgamuffin]

This is genius. I just have no idea if I'd manage to find 12 ideas for date nights :S

[salj1980]

It took a fair bit of googling "date night ideas" for me too!

[skip]

I love this. Not sure how it'll work with my breed of husband but I might suggest we choose 6 dates each. Ours will most likely be at home dates, too seeing as baby R will be gatecrashing

[salj1980]

Yes Skip, I did wonder about a "Your choice" option but in the end I thought that I'd just go with things we used to do a lot and haven't had a chance to do for ages.

I think about half of them are ones we can do at home and so don't need a babysitter for. The others are generally planned around when my parents are likely to be visiting, with MIL for the others (I know she'd do more but as she has Little Man 3 days a week whilst I'm at work I hate asking her to babysit as well, I feel like we'd be taking the p*ss a bit!

[skip]

Yes Skip, I did wonder about a "Your choice" option but in the end I thought that I'd just go with things we used to do a lot and haven't had a chance to do for ages.

I love your ideas, may steal a few as there are plenty we can do with R tagging along too, or even as a whole family date.

When M was tiny we went a couple of times to a "big scream" cinema, where babies under 1 are allowed. We booked a balcony seat (it's a lovely old cinema) and bagged a sofa and had a picnic while M slept in the moby and we watched hellboy2 and Batman!

[meglp]

I think this is a brilliant idea and my OH would certainly appreciate it.
How will those of you who are doing it present the date ideas inside the envelopes?!

[BigFlower]

This is such a good idea, and especially perfect as DH and I have not been spending much time together lately what with one thing and another. I'm so tired I have to get to bed early when I can, then I'm studying as well as working FT and DD still doesn't sleep through the night...so things have slid WRT quality time.

So I am totally stealing this idea!!! Thank you.

Now...just gotta rack my brains for date ideas....

[camper]

I wish... we just don't have a babysitter, and this would just rub it in It's a lovely idea though.

[salj1980]

How will those of you who are doing it present the date ideas inside the envelopes?!

I'm going to get some blank cards from a craft shop, and handwrite as neatly as possible inside. I might also get Little Man to decorate the cards as one of our advent activities.

I'll present them inside an old shoe box covered in nice paper.

[BigFlower]

Here are my ideas so far, mix of "dates" and "treats".

1) pub plus chips on the way home
2) out for a curry
3) nag free night of Playstationing with me fetching beer and snacks as required
4) evening walk on beach with BBQ
5) night of Sing Star
6) watching wedding DVD while drinking something fizzy and alcoholic
7) 10 pin bowling
8) Billy Connolly tickets (hopefully - have to call box office)
9) Theatre - not sure what is on yet...or maybe Eden Project concert...something like this anyway...
10) Ice skating (he loves it, I am crap at it!)
11) ....umm....
12) ....errr....

So a bit of work still needed!!!

[SevilleOranges]

I love love love this idea definately something we're going to do! thanks for sharing. I was thinking maybe just getting plain card board and making cards or getting leaflets of the 'dates' to stick in

[handstand79]

I really love this idea too. It is so what we need as I'm always in bed not long after DS2 due to him waking so much in the night. I can't wait to see his face So far I've got the following but might need to change a few of them. Thinking of maybe a walk in the Peak District and pub meal afterwards instead of one of them...maybe the driving range one!

JANUARY Movie night – DVD, homemade pizza, popcorn
FEBRUARY - Home Spa with Lush products and a chocolate dipping set!
MARCH - Ten Pin Bowling
APRIL -Trip to the cinema
MAY - Get a bucket of balls at the local driving range and drinks in club house afterwards!
JUNE - Cycling at Grizedale Forest (we're there for the week for a wedding!)
JULY - Spa Day (also his Birthday month so will be partly his birthday present too!)
AUGUST - Take away fish and chips on the sea front, slot machines and a walk!
SEPTEMBER - Badminton and drinks at the pub after (he's been nagging for us to do this for the last 3 years, we used to go a couple of times a week before DS1 arrived!
OCTOBER - Michael Macintyre (My birthday that month!)
NOVEMBER - Wine Tasting evening
DECEMBER - Play board games together! Monopoly, Twister, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit.... Makes for a fun night in over a bottle of wine!

Going to try and put some objects in the envelope where appropriate, gift voucher for vue, wine tasting, spa day, lush products, sachet of microwave popcorn and DVD. Was thinking of writing them on the computer but love the ideas of buying blank cards and getting DS1 to decorate!

[BigFlower]

Ooh I may have to pinch the board game idea! We haven't played Monopoly since before we were even married...and he does love to beat me at that so will be a treat!

[BigFlower]

How will those of you who are doing it present the date ideas inside the envelopes?!

I've just ordered some blank postcards and envelopes in various colours from Amazon. £3.50 for what I need for this. Then will use retro stencil I have to do the lettering.

I wish... we just don't have a babysitter, and this would just rub it in It's a lovely idea though.

Would you be able to do a modified approach of "treats" e.g. one of mine (which I bet DH will love the most) is an undisturbed, nag free night of Playstaioning with me fetching him snacks and drinks.